NGE: The Pokemon Raising Project
by Arrancon
Summary: One's life changes forever when they receive their first Pokémon; Shinji Ikari was no exception. But with a hostile redhead as a traveling partner, and being thrust into a war for the Avia Region between two secret factions, maybe he should've just stayed in bed... Rated T for Action Violence, Sexual Innuendos, Peril and Language.
1. Stage 1: Press Start

**Hello readers!**

**Yes, you are seeing this correctly: a Neon Genesis Evangelion / Pokémon crossover. Crazy, right?**

**Just a head's up before you start reading: this isn't a retelling of the original NGE storyline with Pokémon sprinkled throughout. I wanted to make an alternate universe where the beloved characters of NGE live in a world inhabited by those classic Pocket Monsters. All you really need to like this story is a general understanding of Pokémon (ex. which one is which) and the personalities of the NGE characters (which I assume you already have, if you're reading this). I'll try not to go OOC, but a few characters may have a slightly different personality, like Rei. OC's are a possibility, though I only have one set in stone for an appearance. Well, that's if you could even _consider_ him an OC... I'll leave it up to you guys to decide when he debuts.**

**Oh, and I don't own NGE or Pokémon; those belong to Gainax, Hideki Anno, Game Freak, Nintendo, etc. I wish that I _did_, but oh well...**

**I'll shut up now, so I hope you enjoy NGE: The Pokémon Raising Project!**

* * *

_The Unova Region, seventeen years ago._

The storm of the century had hit land, sending the waves of the ocean crashing into the rocky outcrops of Undella Bay. A black sky lit up by constant lightning poured down sleeting rain onto the earth, the stinging drops carried by hurricane-like winds. Trees on the cliff sides were uprooted from their base, falling into the smashing currents below never to see the light of day again. The powerful force of nature had scared away all the native wildlife for miles; only the bravest or most foolish individuals would dare stay near these waters.

Rocking back and forth in the deadly waters was an iron giant, a fully armored skipper boat whose captain was on a mission. A long steel cable had been dropped into the waves quite some time ago as the submersible on the other end searched through the ancient Abyssal Ruins below the sea. The captain, a middle aged man with gleaming glasses, stared expectantly at the monitor waiting for some response.

Suddenly a red blip appeared. The man's eyes widened, and he quickly turned to the few men in the cabin with him. "Pull them up! They found something! _Go, go!"_

The captain rushed outside into the wind and rain behind his men, shielding his face from the powerful showers. He watched as the small submersible was lifted out of the water by a crane. The pilot kicked open the bubble like door and leapt down to the surface of the skipper, holding something close to his chest.

"Is that…?" the man asked, his mouth hanging open in amazement.

"It is, Commander," the pilot said, proudly handing over the object, "We've finally found it."

His superior looked down at the strange looking artifact and smiled.

"And now… We can change the world."

* * *

"Shinji darling, breakfast!"

The boy opened his eyes at the sound of his mother's voice, rubbing the morning sand from them. Bright sunlight was shining through his window basking his bed in a heavenly light. The smell of fresh morning food wafted into his open room, an odor strong enough to lift the 14 year-old from his bed. He slid his legs over the side and fell into his slippers. Nice and cool, he thought with a smile, just how they should be.

Shinji Ikari wasn't used to smiling. All his life, he had encountered things that fell into the categories of heart-breaking and down-right unlucky. His father had mysteriously vanished only a few years after his birth, leaving his mother Yui to care for their son all by her lonesome at the small farm they called home. Shinji had never met the man, and felt nothing towards his existence. An appropriate emotion; how could one feel for someone they've never seen?

And then there was the incident last year, on this very day, that fell perfectly into the unlucky category. Shinji had stayed up the whole night before, full of excitement and unable to fall asleep. Of course, he overslept the next morning, and had missed out on the opportunity every child wished to have:

To receive their very first Pokémon.

Like every other child in the world, owning a Pokémon was the coolest thing possible. Many envisioned themselves becoming Gym Leaders, members of the Elite Four, or even as legendary as the icon of mystery himself, Red. But Shinji didn't want any of the fame or glory; all he wanted was a friend and companion to call his very own.

The age of 12 was when a child could receive their first Pokémon, as defined by the Global Trainers Union (the GTU, for short). However, the local town Professor, Ritsuko Akagi, believed that was too young an age, and stated she would only give Pokémon to a child of the age 14 or older. Last year, she had made a special exception for Shinji, being friends with his mother and all, and gave him an ultimatum: "Be at my lab on time, or you won't get your Pokémon." It was really more a test of responsibility than an ultimatum, but Shinji still failed miserably. This year, however, would be different. There was still a time to beat (the lab would close at 11 AM), but Shinji knew he could get there on time. Sure, he was still incredibly tired, but nothing breakfast and a shower couldn't remove…

Hearing the sounds of Pokémon, Shinji opened his bedside window and looked outside. It was a perfect view of their backyard; his mother's Miltank trio was grazing on the fresh green grass as a sole Tauros bull watched over their paddock. A flock of Pidgey sat on one side of the squared fence nestled together, but were soon scared away as the Tauros let out a bellow. Shinji couldn't help but smirk; the bovine Pokémon was just as extremely territorial as always.

"Shinji!" his mother called again from below, "You don't want to be late again this year! Hurry up!"

"Coming, mother!"

After quickly fixing his hair, Shinji rushed down the steps into the kitchen. His mom was sitting at the dining table with a cup of tea and a book. At her feet sat a Stoutland, which sat up as soon as it saw the young Ikari. The shaggy pet was the first Pokémon Yui had ever owned, having raised it since it was a Lilipup, and it had played with Shinji since he was a baby.

"Morning, buddy!" Shinji said, kneeling down to pet the dog-like Pokémon. His mother watched him with a smile.

"So, are you ready for today, Shinji?" Yui asked happily as he son sat down across from her at the table.

"Of course," the boy answered, "I just hope I make it in time this year, before Professor Akagi runs out of Pokémon."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too worried. After all the children that came last year, I'm pretty sure she has quite a few more Pokémon this time around. Do you know which one you'll choose?"

Shinji pondered for a moment. "Honestly, it doesn't really matter to me. I just want one of my very own."

"What, no favorites?" Yui raised an eyebrow at him.

"Well… _Torchic_ is kinda cool…"

"A Fire type? Hmm… I always thought you'd go for a Grass type, like Bulbasaur."

"Why's that?"

"Well, Grass types remind me of you. They're calm, quiet, peaceful… most of the time, that is. Fire types are unpredictable and dangerous; they usually need someone as hot-blooded as them for a partner."

"Like Asuka?"

Shinji couldn't have helped but bring up the fiery redhead from down the street as his mother described Fire types. Unpredictable and dangerous fit Asuka Langely Soryu to a T. For as long as he'd known her, which was about most of his life, Soryu had been a pleasant thorn in his side: a total bitch at times, but a cute one at that. She had helped him in many a fight, often standing up to older boys who picked on him, but usually beat on him herself in the end. Shinji didn't think of himself as a masochist, but her fists hurt good… they still hurt like hell, but he didn't mind them. He knew underneath the abuse, Asuka meant well (not that she'd ever say it to his face, that is).

Yui laughed. "Yes, _just_ like Asuka. Now eat your breakfast, Shinji, before it gets cold."

After quickly eating his breakfast, Shinji rushed back upstairs and into the shower, thinking about how his life was going to change today. As the water fell down on him, he closed his eyes as he drifted into an imaginary world of his future, with his soon to be first Pokémon…

* * *

_"Shinji! Shinji!"_

_"Gah!"_ Shinji sat up in a panic as the loud yelling voice of his mother echoed in the bathroom, bouncing off the shower walls. He stood up, breathing heavily when he heard something that he so desperately wished he hadn't.

"_You're going to be late!"_

"_OH CRAP!"_ He couldn't believe it: he had actually _fallen asleep_ in the shower! But for how long?

"Hurry up!" his mother yelled, "You only have ten minutes before Prof. Akagi shuts her doors!"

"_T-TEN MINUTES?!"_

In a blur, the drenched and naked Shinji dashed out of the bathroom past his mother and into his room, a trail of water following behind him. After throwing on some random clothes (that surprisingly matched), the boy ran down the stairs, almost tripping over his own feet.

"Don't forget you backpack!" his mother called down to him from the second floor, "I put everything you'll need in it!"

"I'll come back for it!" Shinji responded as he went out the door, leaving his mom in the house alone. Yui stood at the open door and watched her son run off down the street. Her Stoutland trudged up beside her and gave a low bark.

"Yeah," Yui said, "I knew he'd be late somehow, too."

* * *

Shinji's house was located just outside of Merganser Town, a small community in a wooded area. A short, winding forest path connected the two locations, and took about ten minutes to walk. At the speed Ikari was running at, he'd finish it in at least five, giving him another five minutes to reach Prof. Akagi's lab in the center of town. As he ran through the woods, wild Pokémon were just beginning in their daily activities. A troop of monkey-like Aipoms swung from the branches above, while Deerlings and Sawsbucks foraged through the underbrush, their coats and antlers in their flowery Spring forms. Shinji almost tripped over a Sandshrew that had burrowed itself into the dirt road, jumping over the Ground type as it lifted itself up from a nap.

"Almost there!" Shinji panted as Merganser Town came into view. The town gate, a large marble sculpture of two Dragonair arching towards each other, was open and awaiting Shinji's entrance. The boy didn't even pause to admire the impressive artistry as he made a bee line down Main Street, straight towards Prof. Akagi's lab.

"I can see it!" Shinji grinned as the building came into view, "I'm gonna make it!"

"Yo there, Prof!" a familiar voice called up from ahead, "What took ya so long? Sleep in again?"

"_Not now, guys…"_ Shinji groaned as he saw his friends Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida standing at the street side ahead. The due were dressed in their usual getup; a black track jacket for Toji and a white shirt and glasses for Aida. However, Shinji noticed something different about them: each had a single Pokéball hanging from their waist.

"Wherddya think yer goin?!" Toji yelled as Ikari ran past, waving his fist at him, "We was gonna show ya our Pokémon , ya jerk!"

"Sorry guys, can't stop! Have to get mine before the lab closes!"

"Wha- _Ha-ha-ha!_" Suzhuhara burst into a laugh, "Ya hear dat, Kensuke? Da Prof slept in again!"

"Can't catch a break huh, Ikari?" Kensuke snickered.

Shinji didn't even stop to respond, not that they deserved it. He just kept sprinting towards Prof. Akagi's lab, closing in fast. He narrowly missed colliding with a woman and her newly groomed Matron-trim Furfrou before stumbling through the automatic lab doors of his destination.

Catching his breath, Shinji looked around the lab, taking in all the electronic dashboards and computers lining the walls. The many desks were covered in papers and books of research data in some sort of collected chaos. In the back corner of the room lay a Liepard, curled up in a large cat bed. The slender Dark-type opened its one eye when it sensed Shinji watching it, but quickly closed it when it didn't sense a threat.

"Why, hello there, Shinji!" a happy voice said, "It's nice to see you made it this year!"

Shinji looked to see a blonde haired woman dressed in a lab coat and blue sweater standing across the room with hands folded behind her back, smiling at him. He recognized her immediately as Professor Ritsuko Akagi, having met her on numerous occasions at his mother's house parties. Before Shinji could answer, he noticed that there was someone else there, standing by Prof. Akagi, someone else he recognized.

Recognized _too_ well, that is.

Her back was turned to him, her face covered by her long, red hair. She was wearing her favorite yellow dress, which right now revealed a great portion of her long legs as she bent over looking at something. She stood up straight in a flash as the name "Shinji" finally went through her ears.

"Well, well, well," the girl sneered, turning her face towards Ikari with hands on her hips, "Baka Shinji's late again! Did _mommy_ forget to wake you up?"

"A-Asuka," Shinji stammered, "I don't know what you're talking about. I am on time… _right?"_ He looked to Prof. Akagi desperately.

"Well," the blonde said, looking at her watch, "You've got about a minute to spare, so I'd say you are."

"Not that it matters," Asuka smirked, stepping to the side. She gestured to a round metallic table, with spherical dips arranged in a circle, "Because the Professor is all out of Pokémon!"

"Wh-what…" Shinji's expression plummeted as he looked at the empty table, "Y-you can't be… _oh, no…" _He fell to his knees, his fists shaking. "I knew this would happen… _I knew it!"_

"Oh, Shinji," Prof. Akagi knelt down by the boy, placing a tender hand on his shoulder, "There's no need to be sad… Sure, I'm all out of Pokémon for you to choose from, but that doesn't mean there isn't one I can't _give_ to you…"

"H-huh?" Ikari looked up at the Professor, confused, "What do you mean, _give_ me?"

"What are you, _stupid?"_ Asuka rolled her eyes, "She means that she has one _set aside_ for you. God, sometimes I can't comprehend your idiocracy, you… _W-wait, what?!"_

Prof. Akagi smiled at the girl, then to Shinji. "I had a feeling Shinji here might be late again, so I made sure to have a special Pokémon reserved just for him. One that I think he would just love to have."

"B-but," Soryu looked at the Pokéball in her hand, "I thought I got the last one? …Because, you know, you saved the _best for last?_ Right?"

"Don't worry, you're Pokémon is special too." Ritsuko stood up and walked towards her desk, "Think of Shinji getting the last one as, well… a _safety net_ for him."

"… By the way, Asuka," Shinji said, back on his feet, "What Pokémon did you choose?"

"_Hmph,"_ Asuka closed her eyes with a smug smile, "The _smartest, cutest_ and _best one,_ of course. Just like me!" She tossed her Pokéball into the air, the sphere opening with a bright white light. "Come on out, _Torchic!"_

Shinji watched in amazement as a small, orange bird formed from the light on the lab floor. Its beady black eyes studied him for a moment before it scuttled over to its proud owner a few feet away and jumped into her arms.

"Isn't it the greatest Pokémon you've ever seen?" Asuka gloated, shoving the Torchic straight into Shinji's face, "This little guy's gonna help me become the greatest trainer of all time! Not that I'm not _already_, but still, you're looking at the future _Avia Region Champion_, Baka Shinji! Aren't you _jealous?"_

Shinji rolled his eyes, patting the Fire-type Pokémon on the head. "Not really. I don't want to become Champion, Asuka. I just want to make friends." Disgusted, the redhead yanked her Pokémon away from Ikari and pulled it to her chest, squeezing the eyeballs from its head in a tight hug.

"Of course, only _you_ can say something so stupid, Baka Shinji… You're such a wimp!"

"Now Asuka," Prof. Akagi was returning towards the two with a Pokéball in hand, "Just because Shinji doesn't want to be a dedicated Pokémon trainer, it doesn't make him a wimp. He'd just rather bond with Pokémon in a different way, that's all." The blonde smiled and turned to Shinji, holding out her hand. "Here you are, Shinji. Your Pokémon's waiting for you."

'_My Pokémon…'_ Ikari nervously reached out towards the Pokéball before his eyes, his hands shaking from excitement. He couldn't believe this was happening! But the big question remained: what kind of Pokémon was it?

Asuka watched him anxiously; she was just as curious as to what Pokémon was inside the sphere as Shinji was. _'As long as it isn't a Water-type,'_ she thought, _'Or Rock or Ground for that matter… I can't let him douse my flames… That'd be so embarrassing, I'd just die…'_

"Well, Shinji," Prof. Akagi urged the boy, who was staring at the Pokéball in his hands, "Why don't you say hello to your Pokémon?"

"O-okay," Ikari looked at the sphere one last time before tossing it into the air. "Come on out… my Pokémon!"

The Pokéball cracked open, just as Asuka's had, and a creature began forming in the white light. This one had the shape of a small bipedal canine, with round floppy ears and a big head. The Pokémon landed with a Superman pose, one fist planted on the floor and head up. It was mostly blue, with grey arms and legs. A pair of big, red eyes focused on Shinji, its new owner.

"_A Riolu!"_ Ikari shouted in glee, "Oh my God, I – _I can't believe it!"_

Asuka let out a sigh of relief as the boy rushed over to his new Pokémon. Fire and Fighting were neutral type matchups now, but she knew very well that when Riolu evolved it would gain Steel typing, giving her a big advantage. Still, deep down Asuka was glad to see Shinji this happy; she never saw enough of his stupid smile.

"Well," the red head smirked, "Now we know who's got the better Pokémon. Isn't that right, Baka Shinji?"

Shinji ignored her bragging as he hoisted his Riolu into the air with a big grin. "Hey buddy. My name's Shinji. We're gonna have a lot of fun, you and me. Just you wait."

The Riolu smiled and nodded, then placed its hand on Ikari's forehead. A strange sensation began to flow through Shinji's body, as if the Pokémon was synchronizing with him.

"Wh-what's he doing, Professor?" the boy asked, his eyes locked with Riolu's. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't avert his gaze from the Pokémon.

"Riolu is the Emanation Pokémon," Ritsuko explained, "It and its evolved form, Lucario the Aura Pokémon, are tied closely with the emotions and thoughts of humans and Pokémon alike. Yours here is reading your own aura, Shinji, so he can detect your presence from anywhere. He's devoting himself to you, Shinji; you'll be partners for life from this day on."

'_For… life?'_ Shinji thought. To his surprise, Riolu nodded slightly; had the Pokémon heard his thought? _'Did you… read my mind, Riolu?'_

'…**Yes.'**

"_GAH!"_ the sudden voice in Shinji's head caused him to jump. Asuka gave him a look of complete and utter confusion.

"Uhh, Baka Shinji… What the hell was _that?"_

"I- I heard his voice!" Ikari squeaked, pointing at the innocent Riolu, its head tilted to the side, "In my head! He _spoke_ to me, Askua!"

Silence, then laughter. The red head fell to the ground in tears, trying to catch her breath. Her Torchic squirmed out from under her, having been squashed by her falling body. "Oh my God! I can't believe it! He's finally lost his mind!"

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge, Askua," Prof. Akagi interrupted, "Trainers with Riolu and Lucario have reported intense mental communication over time, usually after many years of partnership. But for Shinji to make this claim now, so soon… I'm genuinely surprised."

Slowly, Shinji looked back at Riolu. The Pokémon stood smirking at him with folded arms. **'Do my abilities frighten you, Baka-Shinji?'**

'_No, they don't- wait, __**what**__ did you call me?!'_

'**Baka Shinji. Is that not a term of endearment?'**

'_No; that's just Askua's stupid nickname for me.'_

'**But does she not care for you?'**

"_Yeah… but not like that. I don't think so, at least. I don't really know, honestly.'_

'**Ah, I see. You humans are very odd creatures, Shinji.'**

'_I guess your right about that…'_

"Hey!" Soryu interrupted the mental conversation, jabbing her finger into the back of Shinji's neck, "What're you two conversing about?! It better not be _me!"_

Shinji sighed, rolling his eyes. "Even if we were, it's not like you could _stop us."_

"Oh, so that's what you think. Well then, allow me to take control of your mind… _through my fists!"_

The redhead pounced on Shinji, wailing on his body with her hands and feet. The poor boy didn't stand a chance; he was a helpless deer, ambushed from nowhere by a ferocious tigress. Shinji's pleas to stop soon turned into laughs as a smile spread across his face; he was actually enjoying this! Asuka seemed to be playing along, a sadistic grin forming as she slapped Ikari around. Prof. Akagi couldn't help but laugh at the two children, thrashing about on her floor. Riolu and Torchic, however, were greatly confused at the scene, trading puzzled glances with each other as their owners flailed about. No one even noticed the two figures walking into the lab, a Pokéball at each of their waists.

"Well, if it ain't da _married couple!"_ Toji Suzhuhara proclaimed as he and Kensuke walked onto the scene, "Havin' anudda lover's quarrel, eh, Prof?"

"More like a brawl, if you ask me," Aida added, "But shouldn't you two be using your Pokémon to fight each other with now? It only makes sense, if you ask me…"

Askua stood up, and shoved her finger into Toji and Kensuke's chests. "Why would I sully my precious Pokémon's reputation by battling Baka Shinji? You two really are that stupid."

"Is dat so?" Toji smirked, "If we're dat stupid, I bet you an' the Prof could wipe da floor wit us in a _Pokémon battle_, right?"

"Team up? With _Baka Shinji?_ In your dreams."

Riolu shot a wary glance at Shinji. **'Do her words not bother you?'**

'_Eh, I'm used to it.'_ Ikari shrugged.

As Asuka turned her back to the boys, Aida gave Toji a quick wink; he knew just how to get these two to battle together.

"Oh well, Toji," the geeky boy shrugged, his voice loud and slow, "I guess Asuka's just afraid of _losing _to a _couple of nobody's_ like us. _What a shame- ACK!"_

Losing: Asuka hated the word, in all its forms. Nobody called her a loser.

_**NOBODY.**_

Seething, she held a death grip on Aida's shirt color, her eyes covered in a sinister shadow. "You want a battle… _you got it." _

Victorious, Toji and Kensuke gave each other a low fist bump where Soryu couldn't see. "Now dat's more like it," Suzuhara said, Pokéball in hand, "How 'bout we do dis _here an' now?"_

This sent Prof. Akagi into a panic. She was not prepared for a Pokémon battle, let alone a _Double battle_, to erupt inside her lab where all her years of research could be put in danger. "Whoa now, you guys! How about you all take this outside so there isn't too much _collateral damage_."

"Eh, fine with me," Toji shrugged, "Doesn't matta where we battle, though, 'cause me an' Kensuke'll still whoop deir asses!"

Soryu looked at her Torchic, and then at Shinji; the boy actually looked more nervous than the Pokémon did! "I hope you two are ready, because you're about to have your first Pokémon battle! …Oh, and if we lose, Baka Shinji," Asuka knelt down in front of Shinji, an evil smile on her face, "You won't be laughing the next time I pummel you."

Ikari gulped, and looked at Riolu, who smiled confidently at him. **'Do not worry, Shinji. We **_**will**_** win.'**

'_But I'm not ready for this yet! I never wanted to battle in the first place!'_

'**Life has its many turns, Shinji. Just trust in me, and we will succeed.'**

'…_I hope you're right, Riolu…'_

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_The First Battle!_

_Shinji and Asuka vs. Toji and Kensuke! _


	2. Stage 2: You Can (not) Back Down

**I just want to give a big thank you to everyone who's following this story!**** Your support means a lot to me, and I promise not to disappoint.**

* * *

On one side of the field, Toji Suzuhara and Kensuke Aida eyed down their opponents from afar, both looking quite confident. The two had been devising a strategy for the past half hour, and knew that victory was certain, mostly because they knew that their opponents couldn't work as a team even if the world depended on it.

Across from the boys standing in front the lab of Prof. Akagi were Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langley Soryu with their Pokémon at their heels. They were quite the odd couple; the girl stood with hands on her hips, beaming with arrogance, while the boy looked like a Bug-type stuck in a Quiver Dance. Ikari shot nervous looks at his wrist where a sleek, high-tech device had been clipped on about half an hour ago. The events in which Prof. Akagi's described this item to him echoed in his head.

* * *

"Now, before you battle," Ritsuko said to Shinji and Asuka as she searched through a steel cabinet. She removed two clear boxes from within, each with a futuristic, watch-like device inside, "You'll both need one of these."

"What are they?" Shinji studied the glass cases as Asuka rolled her eyes.

"You _**can't**_ be serious, Baka-Shinji," the redhead spat, "You've really never seen a Pokégear before?"

"… No?"

"God, you're such a shut-in. Have you ever left your house in the past five years? They're _**only**_ the most important thing a trainer can have!"

Prof. Akagi adjusted her glasses with a sly smile. "Well then, Asuka, if you know so much about the Pokégear, how about you explain to Shinji what they do yourself?"

Soryu paused under the sudden spotlight, caught off guard and stammering. "…Uh, _well_, the Pokégear has a, _you know_, a built in Pokédex and an, _**um**_, Item Finder, and a, uh… I'm really only up-to-date on the _2013_ version, actually. So I might be a _little rusty_ on this year's newest features."

"I'd say you're a little rusty on _all_ the versions, Asuka," the professor giggled, much to Soryu's embarrassment, "The Pokégear does indeed contain an Item Finder and a Pokédex, but also does much more. One of the most important things this device can do is check the moves and abilities of any Pokémon owned by a trainer, as well as store the data from Technical and Hidden Machines needed to teach a Pokémon a move. It's not just useful for battle purposes, however. It also keeps track of your funds, your location and of course, the time, just as any watch should."

"This thing is pretty cool," Shinji said, taking a purple and green Pokégear from Ritsuko, "How much?"

"It's free of charge!" the blonde laughed, "Every trainer is required to have one, and it would be cruel to keep the opportunity from those without money."

"Well, aren't you lucky Baka-Shinji!" Asuka flicked Ikari in the ear, "No penny-pinching for you!" When the arrogant redhead went to take her Pokégear from Prof. Akagi, she looked at the blue and gold device with disgust. "…Do you have one in red?"

* * *

"Are the trainer's ready for battle!"

Shinji snapped out of his thoughts as Prof. Akagi stood in the center of the battlefield, looking at both pairs of trainers. The crowd around them had grown quite substantially since he had last looked at it, Still somewhat out of it, Ikari saw Toji and Aida nod their heads in approval, as did Asuka. When Akagi turned to Shinji, he froze up. This was going way too fast, he wasn't ready for this yet! He hadn't even received Riolu an hour ago, for God's sake!

"Shinji?" the professor asked tenderly; she could tell the boy wasn't feeling so hot about this. "Are you feeling alright?"

"_Hey!_ _Earth to Shinji!" _Asuka snapped, "Give her an answer! We're _waiting!_"

Riolu, sensing his master's distress, pulled on his pant leg to get his attention. **'Shinji? What is the matter?'**

No answer from Ikari; his mind was blank.

'**I told you we would be alright. Do you not… believe in me?' **The normally strong voice sounded quite fragile and hurt to Shinji.

'_I… I do, Riolu. But I don't… I… __**I can't…!'**_

Shinji was in panic mode now: There had to be some way out of this, something to make the pressure stop. Everyone was staring at him: Riolu, Toji, Aida, the Professor, Asuka… The faces in the crowd were the worst. He didn't even know any of them, and they expected him to entertain them! Why should he have to do that? Shinji had only one option, and by God he was going to take it.

"_I can't do this!"_The crowd gasped as Ikari unexpectedly dashed into the lab behind him, the doors closing shut on his heels. An awkward silence fell over the spectators as everyone tried to understand what had just happened.

"Aww, sheesh," Suzuhara sighed, "Da Prof performs his signature escapin' act once again…"

"_***cough**_*-_Called it_-_***cough*"**_ Kensuke feigned, pretending to clear his throat.

"_Shinji!"_ Asuka yelled furiously. She couldn't believe it. How dare that Baka-Shinji run out on her like that! _"You coward__**!**_ Get back here and fight with me! _HEY!"_

Stricken, Riolu plopped down on the grass with his head held low. **'Had I done something wrong?'** he projected his mental voice to Torchic who stood beside him.

'**Hey, don't look at me, man,'** the Fire type answered, ruffling his feathers, **'I barely understand my **_**own**_** trainer.'**

Riolu looked at his fellow Pokémon's trainer with confusion. This girl, Asuka he believed her name was, was so abusive to Shinji, yet her aura didn't match her actions. The Pokémon had decided to tap in on her aura when she had been berating and beating his trainer out of curiosity, to see just what she was feeling at the moment. What Riolu detected was not a harsh red cloud of aggression, but a soft pink mist of… _Tenderness? Affection?_ It was hard for him to make out, for at its center was a pitch black spot of depression and emptiness that fluctuated constantly. What kinds of emotions did this girl have about Shinji, and why did he put up with her antics?

The Pokémon put its thoughts on hold when it saw Prof. Akagi approach Asuka. The older woman put her hand on the redhead's shoulder and gestured towards her lab. "Go talk to him, Asuka."

"_What?! Why me?"_ Soryu sounded completely appalled by the suggestion, "He should figure out his own problems by _himself _for once!"

"If you know Ikari as well as I think you do, then you know that isn't a possibility. Besides, how are you going to win this battle without a _partner?_"

"….I'm only going to do this so I can win, just so you know. _Not_ because I care about Baka-Shinji; I couldn't _give_ less of a crap about his _emo-issues_."

"Sure, sure," Prof. Akagi murmured with a smirk as the girl went into the lab, "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Asuka…"

* * *

'_Stupid Baka-Shinji!'_ Asuka thought as she gazed around the dark laboratory trying to find her coward. With all the desks and high stacks of boxes and supplies, he could be anywhere in here. Why did he have to be so good at hiding? Asuka remembered how she and Shinji used to play hide-and-seek as kids; it was the only time she would ever lose to him at anything. There were times when she never thought she'd find the boy, and she actually _cried_ once thinking she had lost him forever. Asuka still remembered the words he said to her after he came out of hiding and hugged her:

"_Don't worry, Asuka. I'll never go away…"_

She couldn't help but smile a little when she recalled Shinji's ridiculous claim. He really was an idiot if he thought she'd take those words to heart. So then, _by chance_, if she actually did believe him, and _still did_, would that make her an idiot too?

'…_You're such an idiot…'_

The sound of purring from across the room caught Asuka's attention. Walking softly, she stumbled upon the Professor's Liepard standing in a corner, studying a Shinji in the fetal position. His head was turned to the floor, refusing to acknowledge the feline Pokémon beside him. The pitiful sight disgusted Asuka, but reminded her of Ikari's true personality.

"Hey," Soryu ordered, her sudden voice making the Liepard jump and slink away, "Get your ass up, Baka-Shinji. They're waiting for us."

"…I'm not doing it."

"_Wha-!"_ Asuka couldn't believe his stubbornness. Who the hell did he think he was telling her what he would and would not do?! "Look me in the eyes _right now,_ you coward!_ What did you say to me?!"_

Still refusing to lift his head, Shinji repeated himself. "I'm not doing it, Asuka. I don't _ever_ want to battle. I didn't come for a Pokémon to _fight_ other people."

"That's what people with Pokémon do, you idiot! It's the whole purpose of owning a Pokémon in the _first place!"_

"That's what _you_ think Asuka… But you're _wrong_."

Shinji's back slammed up against the wall, his head bouncing forward. Asuka held a death grip on his collar, her snarling face only inches from his.

"Say it again, _I dare you!"_ The Professor's Liepard across the room flinched at the girl's shriek and slunk into a corner. "What makes you think you can accuse me of _anything?!_"

Ikari swallowed hard. He hadn't seen Asuka this genuinely angry in a long time, if ever. _'Just tell her off',_ he thought, '_While you're both alone. What's the worst that can happen? Broken bones? Missing eye? Death? Okay, that is pretty bad… __**No!**__ I'm doing this, no backing out! I gotta be strong just this once!'_

"…Because," he stammered, thinking of the words. No yelling, no aggression; that'll only make this situation worse. "Pokémon aren't _tools for battle_, Asuka. They're creatures with _feelings and souls_, just like _us_… All they want from us is _friendship and love_, and if we give it to them they'll return it right back by doing well in battle. It doesn't even have to be in battle; a Pokémon who loves you will stay by your side through thick and thin, no matter what. That's all I want, Asuka: Someone who will always be there for me…"

Asuka was speechless. Was this how he really felt? She always thought he was a pansy, and she was only half right. Shinji was more alone than anything. Sure, he had many friends, but none of them were really close to him… other than her, that is. Asuka saw herself as his crutch that would strike back to smack him into shape. But did he not see her in the same light? Did Shinji not think she genuinely cared about him?

Even worse: Did he not feel for her in the same way she did him?

If that was the case, Asuka wouldn't know what to do. They'd been friends for so long now, almost a decade. Was that all Shinji saw them as? Comrades? She couldn't just ask him; it would be too awkward and unlike her to do so. She might never find out the truth, but until the day she did, Asuka would not give up on him and his stupid smile.

"Asuka? You okay?" Ikari asked worriedly; the girl had fallen silent for almost a minute now, staring at the floor.

"…Look," Soryu muttered, barely audible, "I get it now. Just… don't give me another sappy speech like that again. Got it?"

Shinji nodded his head as she continued. "Now, you were just talking about someone who would always be there for you, right?"

"Uh… yeah?"

"Well, right now," Asuka tried not to choke on the words, "I… _need you_ to battle with me. I can't do it alone, and you're the only help I can get. So why don't you man-up and do yourself a favor by battling with me?"

Ikari's eyes tried to avoid hers; her words were strong but he still wasn't sure about battling yet. What if he screwed up and Riolu got terribly hurt? He could just go out there and embarrass himself in front of the whole town! "I… I don't know, Askua. I don't think I'll be any good at it-"

And then the unexpected happened. Shinji felt his hand being squeezed tightly, and saw that Asuka's own hand was the cause of it. He looked at her and saw her face staring into his with desperate, begging eyes.

"_Please,_ Shinji," she whispered tenderly, "Do this for _me_."

Shinji's face went as red as a thermometer at her words. This wasn't right; Asuka was incapable of being delicate, let alone saying _please_ to him! This had to be a ruse; there was no way the redhead would act like this without an ulterior motive. Did she really want to battle so badly? But how could he refuse her now, with her soft blue eyes looking right at him? No matter how much he tried to deny it she was still a girl, and a cute one at that.

"…_Fine."_ Ikari answered, turning his face from her, "Just give me a minute, then we'll go battle. I promise."

"Thanks," Asuka smiled. Her cheerful expression soon turned to a dark grin. "And if you tell _anyone _about this, Baka-Shinji, you'll be chasing your ass into next week. _Understood?_"

"Yeah, yeah…"

* * *

"I wonder what they're doing in there…" Kensuke mused aloud, his question the same as the one on everybody's mind in the crowd around him. It hadn't been very long, but some of the townspeople were beginning to grow impatient; they had their own things to do instead of waiting for a battle that may never happen. The only one who seemed content was Prof. Akagi, who seemed certain that the two children inside her lab were settling the matter.

Toji shrugged at his friend. "Da hell if I know, man. Asuka coulda just gone in der an killed da poor guy. Probably buryin' his body right now as we speak."

"I don't think Asuka's capable of murder, Toji."

"Eh, ya never know about the crazy ones, Kensuke. One minute der actin' all nice an' normal, den da next they bashin' ya skull in wit a baseball bat wrapped in barbwire… Ta tell ya da truth, I don't really get what Ikari sees in dat Soryu chick. How can he hang around wit such a _hot headed, permanently menustratin' witch_ like her?"

"W-why don't y-you ask her yourself?" Aida pointed a shaking finger across the battlefield at the girl in question who not only had returned with Shinji in tow, but had just heard _every word_ Suzuhara had said.

_Every. Single. Word._

"Imma dead man, ain't I?" Toji gulped, on the verge of dropping a Golem in his pants.

Asuka cracked her knuckles, every pop causing Toji's eye to twitch. "Not until _after_ our battle. Then you're going to wanna run very,_ very, _far away."

As the girl continued to intimidate her prey, Riolu approached Shinji who smiled lightly at his Pokémon.

'_Hey,'_ Ikari knelt down closer to Riolu, speaking with his thoughts, _'I'm really sorry about earlier. I was just nervous about this whole battling thing, that's all.'_

'_**Understandable,'**_Riolu responded_, __**'At first, I believed I was to blame for your doubt, but then realized I was, in a way, nervous as well.'**_

'_Really? Why did you think it was your fault? You didn't do anything even close to making me feel worried.'_

'_**I thought maybe I was putting pressure on you by telling you we would win, and that if we didn't I'd be disappointed in you. But now I know that is not the case, and never will be. Right?'**_

Shinji nodded and ruffled the fur on Riolu's head, _'Right, buddy. Now let's have ourselves a battle.'_

Having waited for the boy and his Pokémon to finish communicating, Prof. Akagi approached him and Asuka, quite satisfied that they were on the same page. "It's good to see that you're up and ready for battle, Shinji. What exactly did Asuka say to you that changed your mind?"

"_Uhh…"_ Ikari glanced at Asuka from the corner of his eye; her threatening expression told him that the truth would get him killed. "Well, you know… She's a hard person to refuse, that's all."

"I think I understand what you mean," the Professor smiled, "Now let's not keep these people waiting any longer. I'll give you and Asuka a moment to think of a plan before we start the battle."

After Akagi wished the two of them luck, Asuka turned to her partner and poked him in the chest. "_Listen up_, Baka-Shinji."

"You've already got a plan?"

"_Don't interrupt me!_ How can I tell you it if you keep flapping your lips like an idiot?"

"…Sorry, I guess."

"_Damn right_ you're sorry. Now, all you and Riolu need to do in this battle is sit back until Torchic and I need you, which I doubt will happen anyways. _Got it?"_

"But aren't we supposed to be a _team?_ Isn't that the whole reason you wanted us to battle _together_ in the first place?"

"Stupid, stupid Shinji…" Soryu leaned in close and grabbed him by the shirt and whispered, "You think I want everybody here to see I need _your_ help with this? Now shut up and be good, _quiet_ backup, and I won't hurt you."

Ikari swallowed hard; this was Asuka at her scariest. How quick she could change her personality!

'_**Please tell me,'**_ Riolu asked Torchic, scratching his head in puzzlement, _**'Is there something wrong with your trainer? Mentally, I mean.'**_

The little Fire type yawned loudly; he was getting impatient and was ready for a good fight. _**'Like I told ya before, I know nothing more than you do. She could be downright insane for all I know. I don't really care if she dresses me in bows or cooks me up for dinner, I just want to battle.'**_

'…_**Are you serious about the bows and getting eaten?'**_

'_**Nah. That probably would suck.'**_

"Let's try this again…" Prof. Akagi muttered, back in the center of the battlefield, "I apologize for the wait, everybody; Shinji had to use the little boy's room-

"_That's not what happened!"_

"…But now I think we can finally get this underway. So, once again, are the trainers and their Pokémon ready for battle?"

The modestly sized crowd let out a good loud cheer for the competitors. Shinji looked around at their faces and noticed that some were chanting his name. He couldn't believe it; these people were rooting for him! They had confidence in him and believed he could actually win!

Riolu couldn't help but smile as he felt the gleeful aura coming from his master. The Pokémon wasn't the only one enjoying Shinji's rare moment of happiness. Asuka let out a mental sigh of relief, glad that her idiot wasn't sulking for once. If only he could be this sure of himself all of the time, she might treat him differently…

"I hope da married couple's ready ta lose!" Toji taunted, throwing his Pokéball into the air, "Go, _Oshawott!_"

Aida followed his partner's action and tossed his Pokéball as well. "Show them who's in charge, _Bulbasaur!_"

The boys' Pokéballs broke open to reveal two creatures. The first was a blue and white otter-like Water-type with a scallop on its chest, which it pulled off and prepared to wield in battle. Its companion was a green spotted frog with a large seed on its back. Two long vines protruded from the parasite-like bulb and cracked the air.

"_Piece of cake!"_ Asuka laughed, pointing forward dramatically as her Pokémon dashed into battle, "Get 'em, _Torchic_!"

Without a word, Shinji nodded to Riolu and the Fighting type jumped into the filed beside Torchic, taking an offensive stance. '_So this isbattle,_' he thought, _'It's not that scary at all… This is actually kinda exciting!'_ The moment had finally come: Shinji Ikari was in his first ever Pokémon battle and he was more ready than ever to win.

Hand raised in the air and standing out of the line of fire, Prof Akagi brought her arm down fast and yelled the heavily anticipated words:

"_Let the battle begin!"_

* * *

Far away, hidden in the shadow of the forest, a masked figure dressed in a black cloak observed the beginning match. He had planned on making his strike earlier, but had become intrigued by the children involved, specifically the boy who had tried to back out. And now, the cloaked would-be saboteur decided to hold off, just to see if this boy had inherited any battling skills from his parents.

"Such a strange boy you are, _Shinji Ikari._ Very strange indeed…"

* * *

_**Next Stage:**_

_The Battle Begins!... For Real, This Time!_

_Shinji and Asuka vs. Toji and Kensuke!_


	3. Stage 3: Battle Like You Want To Win!

**Another big thanks to all my followers and reviewers who enjoy this story! I promised a Pokémon battle before, and I present it to you now :)**

* * *

"_Let the battle begin!"_

The words shouted by Prof. Akagi signaling the match's start were ringing in Shinji's head. This was it, the battle had begun! The crowd was cheering, the competitors were pumped, and he couldn't be more excited! What was going to happen? Who was going to make the first move? _What..._

_What the heck was he supposed to do?!_

'_Oh man oh man oh man!'_ Shinji's hand was shaking now. In his eagerness, he hadn't even pondered exactly _how_ to battle. Sure, he'd seen matches on T.V before, but he never had to call the shots before!

"_HEY!" _

He cringed at Asuka's sudden yelling, snapping out of his trance of panic. Looking ahead, he saw Toji's Oshawott charging towards Riolu, its scallop in hand and ready to attack. The little Fighting-type looked at his master expectantly, desperately waiting for a command.

"I don't know what to do!" Shinji flailed his arms in frustration, receiving an eye roll from Asuka.

"You idiot…" the girl pointed to own Pokémon, "_Torchic!_ Cover Riolu!"

The Fire type obliged and leapt into the Oshawott, knocking it away with a Peck attack. As the Water type skidded away, Aida's Bulbasaur whipped its long vines at Torchic, keeping the little bird away from its partner. Riolu nodded in thanks to his teammate and returned his gaze to Shinji.

"Whazza matter, Prof?!" Suzuhara yelled from across the field, "Need yo _girlfriend_ to battle for ya?"

Ignoring Toji's jabbing with a groan, Asuka grabbed Shinji by the wrist and shoved the Pokégear attached to it in his face. "Just aim this at Riolu and tell him to use a move! _Now!_"

"Okay, okay! Jeesh…" Ikari pressed a small button on the side of the Pokégear. The device began to power up, and a light blue hologram menu beamed up from its center yellow circle. Deciding to stare at it in awe later, Shinji pointed his wrist towards Riolu and watched as the hologram traced over his Pokémon's form. Charts and lists began to open in front of his eyes, showcasing the Fighting type's many attributes from his base stats to his Pokédex entry. His eyes scanning over the technical material, Shinji caught sight of a square area illuminated in white near the bottom of the screen; within it were the moves and ability of his Riolu.

'_Let's see,'_ Ikari pondered, quickly looking over the Pokémon's techniques, _'His Ability is Steadfast, and his Moves are Quick Attack, Endure, Counter, and Bullet Punch… Wait, isn't that Scizor's move?'_ He remembered seeing a match on T.V the other day with the red Steel-Bug type using that fast-punching move against an Avalugg, sealing the match in its trainer's favor. How did his Riolu know such a powerful attack? _'Well, no harm in using it…'_

"Riolu!" the boy commanded, "Use Bullet Punch on Oshawott!"

The Pokémon nodded at his master and leapt towards his target, his fists turning a deep silver. Before Oshawott realized what was happening, Riolu released a barrage of metal punches unto his body. To Shinji's surprise the otter Pokémon took the assault quite well, showing almost no signs of damage other than a few light bruises.

"I- it barely hurt him!" Ikari said dumbfounded, "Why?!"

"Learn the type chart, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka snapped, annoyed by his stupidity, "Steel type moves suck against a Water type, you idiot!"

"What?!" Shinji started to answer until he saw Aida's Bulbasaur begin to make a move towards his Pokémon, "_Riolu, look out!"_

'**Wha- Whoa!' **Riolu could barely react as one of Bulbasaur's vines wrapped around his leg and yanked him off his feet, dragging him across the ground. Seeing that Shinji had no idea of what to tell his Pokémon, Asuka took command of the situation.

"_Torchic!_ Use Ember on Bulbasaur's vines!"

To Soryu and Ikari's surprise, Kensuke was pleased with her command, adjusting his glasses with a sly smirk. "_Heh heh heh_… Right into our trap."

Suddenly, the Bulbasaur released his hold on Riolu, flinging him a good ten feet away and sending him rolling across the ground. As Torchic was distracted by his tumbling partner and failed to use Ember, Toji's Oshawott dashed in front of the fire bird, now standing almost nose to beak with him.

"Yer Pokémon's got a short attention span, Soryu!" Suzuhara taunted, "Oshawott, use da Water Gun in his face!"

With a quick wink, Oshawott opened his mouth and shot a hard stream of water right at Torchic. The powerful burst of H2O knocked the Fire-type off his feet and into the air. As Torchic hurdled in the air, Bulbasaur released an odd green powder from his bulb into the bird's path of suspended travel.

"That dust!" Shinji exclaimed, "Is that-"

"_Sleep Powder!_" Asuka snarled in anger. So that was those two punks' strategy: divide and conquer! They knew they were no match for her greatness, so they decided to gang up on her first and pick off Baka-Shinji afterwards! She could only watch as her Torchic flew through the powder, breathing in the dust and falling into an immediate deep sleep in midair. _"No!"_

The crowd lets out a gasp, and broke into a small applause at Toji and Aida's successful strategy. Even Prof. Akagi was impressed at their teamwork; they were doing much better than their opponents who could barely keep up.

"Yer applause is much obliged," Toji waved to the crowd like a president to his people, "Me an' my colleague are _truly_ an' _deeply_ honored."

Kensuke couldn't help but succumb to Toji's arrogant speaking. "Now watch as we pull off a clean sweep of these _lesser_ trainers."

"_Those idiots!"_ Asuka growled, stomping her foot, "How_ dare_ they belittle me!"

"Don't you mean _us,_ Asuka?" Shinji tried to correct. He soon regretted it as Soryu slapped him upside the head.

"Shut it, Baka-Shinji! This is all _your_ fault anyways!"

"Wha- _My fault?!_"

"If _you_ weren't stupid and didn't have _your_ stupid Pokémon Bullet Punch _Toji's_ stupid Pokémon, _we _wouldn't be losing right now!"

"How was I supposed to know Steel isn't any good against Water?!"

"Oh, I dunno, why don't you look at a freaking _Type Chart_ for once?!"

"_I don't even know what that is!"_

"For the love of-!"

"_Asuka watch out!"_

Before she even realized what was happening, Asuka felt herself falling towards the ground as a stream of water shot above her head. Opening her eyes, she saw Shinji lying on top of her in a… suggestive position, to say the least. His hair, not to mention his entire body, was soaking wet from the Water Gun meant to douse her instead. A drop of water from his bangs landed right underneath Asuka's eye; if her skin matched her emotions, the cold liquid would've sizzled on contact.

"Such _chivalry_, Prof!" Suzuhara pointed and laughed, "Takin' a hit fer ya girlfriend! How knightly!"

Groaning at his friend's childishness, Shinji looked down on Asuka. "You okay?"

The girl blinked and stared at him for a few fleeting moments. They'd never been this close before; their faces were only a foot away from each other. And in this position, no less…

"_Get off me!"_ Soryu shoved Ikari onto his back, erasing all of those disgusting thoughts from her head, "_How dare_ you touch me like that, you _pervert!_"

"I was just trying to-"

"Just shut up, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka folded her arms and looked away; he didn't need to see her blushing. "Let's just finish this stupid battle and kick their asses."

"…Alright." Shinji sighed, looking back to the battle field and studying it. Oshawott and Bulbasaur were laughing at their little scuffle, just like their trainers were. Torchic was still asleep with a snot bubble inflating and deflating from his nostril, temporarily out of action. In the background Riolu was getting back to his feet and soon connected his eyes with Ikari's.

'**I hope you have a plan, Shinji,'** Riolu wiped the dirt from his mouth, **'Preferably a better than the one your friend devised.'**

'_Let me think…'_ Shinji communicated as he looked at the moves displayed on his Pokégear. It then dawned on him that a strategy was lying in the moves themselves. _'Yeah, that might just work!'_

"**What is it, Shinji?'**

'_You'll see. Toji and Kensuke not being able to hear my commands gives us a pretty big edge with this. Just keep reading my thoughts and follow them carefully, and we might actually win this.'_

'**Understood.'**

Having finished laughing at his opponents, Suzuhara clapped his hands to get Shinji's attention. "Hey, wat's da holdup? Quit starin' at yer Pokémon an' come an' lose ta us!"

Shinji just smiled back at him politely. "Hate to break it to you, Toji, but I don't think Asuka and I are going to be losing anytime soon."

'…_What're you up to, Baka-Shinji'?_ Asuka thought as she gave her partner an odd look; this sudden burst of confidence seemed very off for him, '_You really think you can win this without __**me?**__' _Deciding to find out for herself, the redhead snuck away quietly into the lab to find something to bring Torchic back into the battle in case things went awry.

"Wha- _Why you smug little punk!"_ If not for Aida quickly restraining him, Toji would've charged across the field and decked Ikari one, "Oshawott, take dat Riolu down with a Tackle!"

The otter Pokémon let out a battle yelp and charged towards his target. Riolu took stance and concentrated hard on Shinji's mental commands.

'_Don't move an inch, Riolu! Use an Endure and let him hit you, then go for a Counter while he's in range!'_

Taking note, the Fighting type clenched his fists and breathed in as Oshawott's Tackle connected with his torso. Riolu felt the damage flow through his body; it was quite painful, but his using of Endure gave him enough willpower to still stand. Shinji smiled as his strategy played out before his eyes.

'_Now, Riolu! Counter!'_

A pulsing sensation flowed through Riolu's muscles; the little Pokémon could feel the damage he had just taken copy itself and double within. The contained energy rushed to his fists as the spikes on his hands began to glow a bright, pale blue. Before Oshawott realized what was going on, he was hit with a punch that sent him shooting backwards across the entire battle field, landing in a cloud of dust in front of his trainer. The crowd gasped once again at this second surprisingly clever tactic.

"_Da hell was dat?!_" Suzuhara shouted, waving his arms in the air like an idiot, "Ikari's pumped dat Pokémon up wit steroids!"

Kensuke took the whole thing a little more in stride, adjusting his glasses. "That was quite the strategy, Shinji. Using Endure to ensure withstanding a powerful hit, then following with Counter for high damage… And I thought you knew nothing about Pokémon battles."

"We're just doing our best," Shinji said sheepishly, taking note of the vine slowly wrapping around Riolu's leg, "And _that_ trick isn't going to work, either."

"_Wha-?!"_ Before aida could finish his Bulbasaur was yanked off his feet by his vine by Riolu, who swiftly pulled on the Grass-type's appendage. Bulbasaur's face connected with the ground and gained a mouthful of dirt in the process. The Fighting type smirked at his foe.

'**Haven't you ever heard the human saying: Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me?'**

Enraged by the taunt, Bulbasaur growled angrily and released a flurry of Vine Whips at the bipedal dog. Riolu narrowly dodged the assault with a backflip, but was unaware of the returning threat coming in from the rear.

"Riolu!" Shinji called, "_Behind you!"_

When Riolu turned to see Toji's Oshawott rushing towards him, there was no chance to avoid the incoming Tackle. The Water type dove his body straight into Riolu's side and knocked him right into Bulbasaur's storm of Vine Whips. The plant tendrils stung like bees as they struck the Fighting type over and over.

"It's over, Prof!" Toji boasted, arms folded, "Any moment now an' yer Pokémon's gonna fall victim ta our flawless combination!"

Kensuke leaned up on his friend by his elbow. "Next time, you really shouldn't think you can outsmart expert strategists like _us_."

"_No!"_ Shinji winced, clenching his fists. His Pokémon was helpless under the assault; there was basically no opportunity to strike back. Riolu wasn't even communicating with him right now! All hope of victory was gone now. To come this far on his own and lose… _'Maybe I really wasn't cut out to be a Trainer in the first place…'_

And it was then in his despair that his knight in shining armor came to the rescue.

Suddenly, a burst of flame shot out of nowhere right into Bulbasaur's Vine Whips. The intense heat scared the wits out of the Grass type, and he retracted his tendrils in pain. Almost a second later, Oshawott was struck by a blur of orange and tumbled off his feet.

"What the-?" Ikari stammered before looking to his side, "Asuka!"

Soryu was standing tall beside him, giving him an annoyed look. Shinji noticed an empty silver canister behind her back; she must've snuck an Awakening from Prof. Akagi's lab when he was busy battling. "You really couldn't do it without me, huh, Baka-Shinji?"

"I was doing fine until now. They ganged up on me!"

"Don't give me your lame excuses! Asuka snapped before returning attention to her Pokémon, "Torchic! Scorch those weeds again with another Ember!"

'**Time to bring the heat!'** The Fire chick let out a squawk as he shot a second burst of flame from his beak, this time connecting directly with the Bulbasaur. Riolu managed to roll out of the way of the Ember, and gave his partner a nod.

'**Have a nice nap, friend?'**

'**Hey, don't give me that crap, man,' **Torchic replied in his own language,** '**_**My**_** owner was smart enough to steal something to wake me up with.'**

'**I'm surprised you actually woke up,'** Riolu snickered back.

The bird's eye twitched in annoyance. **'Just wait until your part Steel type, buddy. **_**Then**_** we'll see whose laugh- **_**Oh, crap**_**!' **Torchic ducked his head as a Water Gun by Oshawottbarely missed his crown of feathers.

"Hey!" Asuka stomped her foot, "Pay attention to the battle!"

'**Yeah, yeah…' **Torchic groaned and rolled his beady eyes. The Fire type then sped towards Toji's Oshawott in a kick of dust and drove a Peck attack right into him, knocking him into his Grass type partner. As he watched Asuka's Pokémon completely dominate the opposition, Shinji noticed the bird had gotten faster than he was earlier. He wasn't the only one to notice, however.

"Wat's up wit dat thing's speed?!" Suzuhara shouting was aimed not so discreetly towards Prof. Akagi, who was standing in the front row of the crowd, "Soryu and Ikari gotta be cheatin' fer sure!"

Ritsuko chuckled to herself before answering the boy's question. "That isn't any old Torchic you're facing. It has its Hidden Ability, after all."

"Wat da heck's a _Hidden Ability_?!"

"Every Pokémon has an Ability that helps them in, and sometimes out of, battle," the blonde explained, "For example, the majority of Torchic have Blaze, which powers up Fire type moves in a bad situation. However, some Pokémon have an Ability uncommon to their species, like Asuka's here. Instead of Blaze, it has Speed Boost. That means, the longer a battle goes on, the faster it gets."

"How's dat fair ta us?!"

"It's not…" Aida sighed, accepting premature defeat, "Remember when I told you about how certain Blaziken had been _banned_ from the Avia Regional?"

"Yeah, wat about it?"

"_This_ is why…"

"… We're screwed, aren't we?"

"Yup."

Seeing that their trainers had seemingly given up the fight, Oshawott and Bulbasaur gave each other a quick glance before the former pulled a white flag from seemingly out of nowhere, waving it at the oncoming Fire-type with a shaky smile. Riolu and Torchic looked back at their own trainers, not sure if to attack or not.

"Asuka," Shinji pointed a crooked finger at the opposing Pokémon, "I think they're surrendering. Maybe we should… Asuka?"

"Stupid, stupid _Baka-Shinji_…" the girl shook her head with a victorious smirk, "There's no backing down in a Pokémon battle. If that's how they wanna go down, then its fine with me!" Taking a dynamic pose, she gave her Pokémon one final command. "Torchic… _Finish them!_"

'**Right!'** With fire ready to burst from his beak, Torchic charged at his opponents at maximum speed. Oshawott and Bulbasaur held onto each other and screamed as the hot flame passed over them. Once the smoke cleared, both Pokémon were charred black and frozen. Each blinked twice before falling onto their backs, defeated.

"We won…" Shinji whispered in shock, "We… _We won!_ Asuka, _we won!"_

The crowd broke into a roaring applause as Ikari unofficially declared victory for his team. Hats were tossed into the air as townsfolk rushed to hoist the victors onto their shoulders. Riolu and Torchic were not left out, as women flocked to pet and hug the adorable winners much to the two Pokémon's dismay.

'**Please, **_**don't**_** hug me...,'** Riolu grumbled silently as the females hovered above him. His Fire-type comrade was already inside of a squeeze induced hell created by a small toddler with bows in her hair.

'_**Asuka!'**_ the bird cried, **'Where are you! Make them stop! **_**ASUKA!**_**'**

"Thank you, thank you!" Soryu paid no attention to her Pokémon; she was bathing in the people's praise, her ego at sky-high levels, "You've just witnessed the first ever victory of your future champion!"

Shinji sighed at his friend as he politely asked the townsfolk to put him down. On his feet he called for Riolu, who rushed to him from in between the towering legs of the woman prison where Torchic was currently suffering.

"You did great, buddy," he said, ruffling the hair on Riolu's head, "Next time we'll win one by ourselves, okay?"

The Fighting dog nodded with a smile. **'We will indeed, Shinji.'**

Defeated and humiliated, Toji and Kensuke withdrew Oshawott and Bulbasaur into their Pokeballs and went over to Shinji. Suzuhara extended a hand out to his opponent in sportsmanship.

"Dat was a damn good match, Prof," Toji said, "I guess you an' Soryu were da better team afta all."

Aida patted Shinji on the shoulder and winked. "I gotta agree with Toji, even though she did kinda carry you at the end. But with a Pokémon like hers, she's gonna be winning a lot more battles in the future. You and Riolu did pretty good against both of us on your own, however. How did you two do it? Giving orders without talking, I mean."

Shinji rubbed the back of his head as he shook Toji's hand, "Well, uh, that's just going to be a secret for now. I can't give away my only edge, now could I?"

"Aw, come on, Prof!" Suzuhara pressured, "Ya gotta tell us da secret to yer success!"

"Now now, boys," Prof. Akagi approached the trio from her position in the crowd, "Let Shinji here enjoy his victory; he's had enough pressure for one day. Congratulations on the win, by the way."

"Thanks," Shinji stood up and looked to the group of people surrounding Asuka. He knew she was at the center of it bragging about her superiority, and it made him smile. "But I technically didn't win it myself."

The blonde laughed, humored by Ikari's lack of confidence. "A win is a win, Shinj, no matter who deals the final blow."

"You are most certainly correct, Professor _Ritsuko Akagi."_

The woman froze at the sound of the heavily distorted voice coming from somewhere in the crowd behind her. Silence fell as others heard the bizarre speaking as well, murmurs running rampant between the confused townsfolk. Put off by the strange occurrence, Asuka hurried over to Shinji with Torchic scurrying at her heels, finally free from the binding hugs.

"What the hell's going on?" Soryu asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I don't know…" Shinji gave Riolu a quick look; the Pokémon appeared to have been rattled by the voice and was standing in a fighting position.

"Who's there?!" Prof. Akagi shouted, her eyes darting around the surrounding area, "Show yourself!"

"If you insist…" the voice replied monotonously. Then, from out of nowhere, a figure jumped down into the center of the former battlefield, his body cloaked in a pitch black hooded robe. All of his features were concealed within the cloak, bar the outline of his abnormally broad shoulders and long arms hanging from his sleeves. His face was covered as well by a pure white beaked mask, eerily similar to that of a crow. "Though I am not a fan of being in the light. My appearance is… _unsettling_ to many."

"What… what are you?" Shinji stammered, frightened by the figure's intimidating appearance.

"My designation," the stranger replied calmly like he was answering a superior's order, "Is Special Agent Number Three of Team Seele. Codename: _Sachiel._"

"Team Seele?" Asuka whispered. She had heard about these so-called righteous organizations before. They seemed to pop up from out of nowhere from around the globe. There had been Team Rocket in Kanto and Johto, Teams Magma and Aqua in Hoenn, Team Galactic in Sinnoh, Team Plasma in Unova, Team Flare in Kalos… and now Team Seele in Avia? What could these creeps want with the world now?

Prof. Akagi took a step forward towards Sachiel, placing herself between him and the children. "We don't want any trouble here, especially from the likes of you and Team Seele. Leave this town immediately!"

"I am afraid that is not possible," Sachiel answered flatly, "My orders were to not leave Merganser Town without Artifact 316. I was informed that it was in your possession, Professor Ritsuko Akagi."

Ritsuko's eyes narrowed, "I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about."

The Profesor took the words right out of Shinji's mind. What was this Sachiel guy talking about? However, the boy had a feeling that the Professor did know something about this artifact, and it worried him deeply.

"Your insolence is a flaw, Professor," Sachiel reached into his cloak and pulled out a strange looking Pokéball. It was coated in a deep chrome red with a cryptic eyed triangle embossed on the top half in black: the symbol of Team Seele. "I will give you one more chance to comply. Otherwise…"

Sachiel tossed the Pokéball into the air and watched as his beast of destruction emerged from within. The large dinosaurian Rock-Dark type landed on the ground with a rumbling thud and let out a roar of pure rage. Akagi, Shinji, Asuka and everyone around them stared at the Pokémon with dread in their minds, knowing fully of this monster's pure destructive power: exactly what Sachiel wanted them to feel.

"I will have my Tyranitar _wipe this town_ from existence…"

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Enter Team Seele!_

_Sachiel's Threatening Ultimatum!_


	4. Stage 4: First Contact

**Just a little tidbit of info in case some were wondering:**

**When you see a Pokémon's "speech" written in bold, that is actually the translation of their call. For example, if a Froakie's dialogue was, _'Hi, my name is Froakie!'_, that is the translation of him saying his name like in the Pokémon anime (i.e _'Froakie-Froakie!'_). The only exception is with Shinji and Riolu, who just listen to each others thoughts and know exactly what each other is thinking.**

* * *

"Y-You'd _what?_" Shinji was trembling in his shoes at the hulking agent known as Sachiel stood by his Tyranitar, who at any moment could destroy Merganser Town at the snap of a finger. Would this guy really put all these townsfolk in danger just for some artifact?

"Artifact 316 is of vital importance to Team Seele," Sachiel stated, "I am willing to turn to violent measures in order to retrieve it. Everything in this town is disposable. Buildings, people, Pokémon… None are of any meaning to neither me nor my superiors, and I will eradicate them all if you do not comply, Professor Akagi."

Knowing that she may be taking a big risk, Ritsuko stood tall in defiance. "I will not allow you to threaten these people or their Pokémon any longer!"

"And how will you do that, Professor?" Sachiel replied in a cold, smug voice. Akagi gave him an equally smug smirk back as her backup revealed their selves. From out of the crowd emerged three people in white hoodies, two men and a woman, with Pokéballs in hand.

"Like this," Ritsuko nodded to the trio, "_Maya! Hyuga! Shigeru!_ Show our _'friend' _here just who he's dealing with!"

"_Yes, ma'am!" _

The three replied in unison, throwing their hoodies into the air and revealing their matching attire. They were each dressed in a tan uniform with orange trim around the shoulders and a large red, leaf-shaped logo embossed on the back. The words 'God's In His Heaven, All's Right with the World' sat below the symbol of their organization.

"Team NERV…" Sachiel appeared unfazed by their revealing, "I was informed that agents may have been in hiding around the laboratory in case of an attack. However, it is of no bother to me: I will crush you all, then claim the artifact for myself."

"Another team?" Asuka muttered, "What is this, a freaking war zone?"

"I hope not…" Shinji answered as he eyed Professor Akagi, the Team NERV agents and Sachiel. Why was this artifact worth so much to these two organizations? Was it really something worth fighting over anyways?

"Time is short," Sachiel slapped his Tyranitar on the arm with an open palm, "Destroy them now, Tyranitar. _Hyper Beam."_

The Rock/Dark type roared as a swirling red and white beam began to form within its jaws. The townspeople began to scream and run as the monstrous Pokémon prepared its devastating attack.

"Dammit!" Hyuga threw his Pokéball into the air, as did Maya and Shigeru. A humanoid creature with moustache like whiskers appeared from within. "Alakazam, Light Screen! Weaken that Hyper Beam!"

"You too, Magneton! Light Screen!" Shigeru ordered his three-bodied Steel-Electric type.

As the two men's Pokémon produced a gleaming wall of light to block the Tyranitar's attack, Maya knelt down by her sent-out Persian, petting its head. "Okay, Persian. I want you to Dig under those screens and hold down that Tyranitar's trainer, okay?" The Normal type feline purred in compliance and began to dig a hole into the earth.

"Everyone, evacuate!" Ritsuko shouted to the crowd, "Get yourselves and your Pokémon to a safe place outside of town! Hurry!"

"_Oh, shit!"_ Toji shrieked, grabbing a fear-frozen Aida by the collar, dragging him by his heels, "We gotta git da hell outta here!"

In an attempt to hide her feelings of pure terror, Asuka scoffed at the two fleeing boys._ "Cowards!_ We're trainers now! We have to fight this guy!"

'**Yeah- **_**Wait, what?!**_**'** Torchic gave his trainer a crazy look, **'Do you want me to **_**die**_**, woman?!'**

'**Stop her Shinji!'** Riolu ordered, knowing that Shinji was already going to do it, **'If she goes out there she will be killed!'**

"Don't do this now, Asuka!" Ikari tugged on her arm, trying to get her away, "There's nothing you can do! _Its suicide!"_

"Let go of me!" Soryu shoved him away, "Go run away with your stupid friends and save yourself! I don't need you to worry about me!"

Shinji grabbed her by the arm again. "I'm not going to let you die!"

"I can take care of my- _AIIEEE!"_

A thundering explosion filled the air and shook the earth as the Tyranitar unleashed its powerful Hyper Beam, colliding with the Kadabra and Magneton's Light Screen. The protective wall of light could barely hold back the devastating attack, with streams of energy pouring over its edges. Shinji pulled Asuka to the ground, his body over hers like a shield to protect her from the spastic rays. The girl was surprised at how he had protected her for the second time today; did that idiot think she was helpless? Still, she'd be lying if she said she didn't appreciate it, but still…

"Stop saving me!" Asuka lied through her teeth, "I can take care of myself!"

"That's not the point!" Shinji crawled off her, urging her to come with him away from the chaos, "This is really dangerous, Asuka! Let those three deal with that guy!"

'**Come on, Asuka!'** Torchic pecked at her side, **'Listen to the guy! He's right, you know!'**

Soryu took a quick look back at the Sachiel and his Tyranitar as Team NERV's Light Screen wore off. The masked man pointed at the three agents, and his lumbering Pokémon began to approach them with heavy steps. Baka- Shinji was right; she didn't stand a chance against that beast.

"…Fine," Asuka muttered, defeated. To back down from a fight like this, even with the odds against her… how pathetic she was.

"Resistance is futile," Sachiel stood like a monolith as his beast prepared another devastating assault. "Your pathetic Pokémon are nowhere near the level of mine. The chances of your victory are miniscule."

"Doesn't mean we can't try!" Shigeru smirked, "Magneton, use Flash Cannon!"

The Pokémon buzzed as its three magnets floated in front of its trio of bodies, and then unleashed a shining beam of compressed steel at the Tyranitar. Even though the Flash Cannon dealt super effective damage, the Tyranitar was almost unfazed by the attack.

"But how?" Shigeru was dumbfounded, "That should've at least scratched him!"

"Let me try!" Hyuga let his Alakazam jump in front of the Magneton, taking point, "Use Focus Blast, Alakazam!"

The Psychic type levitated its two spoons into the air. As it concentrated, a sphere of pure power formed between the manmade objects and then hurtled towards Tyranitar at a threatening speed. Sachiel did not even give his Pokémon an order to dodge the incoming attack; even with its threatening four times effectiveness, he knew for certain the Tyranitar could take it and still stand tall afterwards.

A huge explosion erupted as the Focus Blast made contact with Tyranitar. Hyuga, Shigeru and Maya shielded their faces from the incoming cloud of dust that had enveloped the target. Hyuga waved his hand in the air to try and see through the dust. What he saw next almost made his jaw drop to his feet.

"Impossible…" he gaped as the Tyranitar's massive form stood unfazed, the beast glaring at him in annoyance. Its trainer was still standing beside it just as still and collected as he was before. "Even after that Focus Blast… They're both not even hurt!"

"I told you peons before," Sachiel spoke, "The chances of your victory are quite miniscule. But now…" He paused as the ground beside him began to open up and Maya's Persian pounced up at him. Without even turning his masked head he grabbed the Normal type by the face and slammed it back to the ground, knocking it out cold. "Your chances have just become _non-existent."_

"_Persian!"_ Maya shrieked as Sachiel casually tossed her unconscious Pokémon away like a rag doll. Enraged by the Seele agent's despicable action, Hyuga and Shigeru turned their attention away from the Tyranitar to its owner.

"Alakazam!" Hyuga clenched his fist, "Restrain that man with Psychic!"

Before the Psychic type could even react, Sachiel's Tyranitar burst into a short charge and collided with Hyuga and Alakazam, sending them flying at least twenty feet. Luckily, Shigeru and his Magneton managed to jump out of the way of the Rock/Dark type's swinging tail, but were unprepared for the Pokémon's next deadly attack.

"Tyranitar," Sachiel droned, _"Dark Pulse."_

Suddenly the Tyranitar stomped the ground and emitted an eerie aura from the black indents on its body. The aura wrapped around the bodies of Shigeru and Magneton like snakes then quickly constricted around them, sending feelings of utter dread and despair into their minds. With its three separate minds, the Magneton took the attack much better than its trainer who slumped to the ground in a moan.

"Pesky inorganic," Sachiel muttered as the Steel/Electric type prepared to strike him with a Thunderbolt to avenge his master, "Melt it, Tyranitar. _Fire Blast."_

Obediently, Tyranitar roared and shot a burning star of fire straight at Magneton, sending the three bodied Pokémon down to the ground, charred and defeated. Shinji and Asuka peered out from their hiding place from behind Prof. Akagi's lab as the last of Team NERV's Pokémon fell in battle.

"They lost!" Shinji winced, "It was three on one, and they still couldn't beat him!"

"That's one tough Tyranitar," Soryu said, more to herself than to Shinji, "Most Tyranitar are made for physical combat, but all of this one's attacks were _special_ based… Those three weren't expecting or prepared for something of that kind."

"Oh, no!" Ikari pointed to the last remaining NERV agent, Maya, who had rushed to check on her Persian as Sachiel was slowly approaching her from behind, "He's going to get her!"

As Shinji was about to yell at Maya to run, a slender purple blur darted in front of the woman and stood before Sachiel, snarling menacingly. The Seele agent cocked his masked head at the Liepard in curiosity before noticing its owner.

"I thought you were not an active trainer, Professor Akagi," he looked at the approaching Ritsuko, "Or are you using your Pokémon here as a distraction to evacuate the artifact?"

"The artifact _is_ _not_ here," Akagi narrowed her eyes, "Why must you persist in saying that it is?"

"Why must you persist in denying that it is indeed here, Professor?" Sachiel countered, "The destruction can stop now if you just hand it over immediately."

Ritsuko gritted her teeth; there was no way she could give Team Seele the artifact; the consequences would be devastating, world changing even! But if she didn't, all of Merganser Town could be demolished… _'Dammit! Damn it all!'_

"_Hey, ugly!"_

The young female voice caught Sachiel's attention. As he turned towards it, a rock collided with his mask, cracking it down the middle. His hand immediately shot to his face to stop the mask from breaking in two. "Who dares?!"

His assaulter came out from her hiding spot and stood with hands on her hips. "_Asuka Langley Soryu_, that's who!"

"A girl?" Sachiel snapped his fingers and approached Asuka. Behind him his Tyranitar emitted another Dark Pulse that wrapped around Ritsuko, Maya and Persian, crippling them. The pseudo-legendary used an alternate method for the Professor's Liepard, crushing it to the ground under its heavy spiked tail. "A _teenage girl_ thinks she can defeat _me_, an elite member of Team Seele? How brave of you, child."

"Get back, Asuka!" Shinji whispered, still in hiding, "He might hurt you!"

'**Listen to him, Asuka!'** Torchic chirped, running to her side, **'I don't wanna see this guy beat you up!'**

"Your Pokémon seems to want you to retreat, girl," Sachiel looked down on Soryu, his massive frame dwarfing her, "You may want to consider its pleas if you know what's best for you. I am not against beating sense into disobedient children."

"If you want that artifact, you'll have to go through me!" Asuka snapped defiantly, slapping the agent across the face much to Shinji's shock.

"_Wh-What're you doing!"_ Ikari shrieked, _"He'll kill you!"_

Sachiel's crow-like mask flew off his face into two separate pieces. In a horrified expression, Asuka was stunned to see an almost identical, beakless mask on the agent's face now; he was wearing two at once to better conceal his identity! Still, Sachiel was not amused by her intolerable display of disrespect. His hand shot to her throat aand he lifted the girl into the air.

"_Stupid girl,"_ Sachiel growled as he began to choke her with one hand. He casually punted Torchic away before the Fire type bird could singe his feet with an Ember. "You shall now pay with the greatest cost of all."

"_No!"_ Shinji leaped from his hiding spot, stumbling on his feet as he ran to save Asuka.

'**Shinji, wait!'** Riolu called mentally, **'You'll be in as much danger as she is!'**

'_Better me than her dying, Riolu!' _

"What's this?" Sachiel watched as Shinji dashed and stopped before him, "Another child? This town is full of brave maggots, it seems."

Asuka could barely make out Shinji's form through her blurring vision. Saving her again? There was no way he'd succeed this time, though; if three trainers and the Professor couldn't beat this guy, Shinji didn't even stand a chance in hell. _'Just like me,'_ she thought, _'I can't believe it's gonna end like this… I never even got the chance to tell him anything... I'm so pathetic…'_

"B-Baka Shinji…" she sputtered out as Sachiel's grip tightened, "I'm sorry… I-"

"_Let her go!"_ Ikari clenched his fists in rage, "She has nothing to do with this!"

"You are incorrect, _Shinji Ikari_," Sachiel said, satisfied as the boy flinched at him knowing his name.

"How… do you know my name?" Shinji stuttered.

"It seems you don't know much about your family, boy. I'm not surprised your mother didn't tell you about her past exploits with your father here in Avia. She probably wanted to keep you in the dark so you wouldn't discover the _real reason _Gendo Ikari vanished."

'_He knows about dad?'_ Shinji wanted to question him about that now, but then realized there was no time. Asuka was the top priority now, not his own selfish questions. "Just… just let Asuka go! Please!"

"I am afraid that is impossible. Any person who strikes an agent of Team Seele is considered a threat to our cause, and must be dealt with the most permanent solution."

"_Then kill me instead!"_

Asuka's eyes widened: Did he really just say that?! Would he die here for her? How stupid could he be! She was a failure, and not even worth giving a life for!

'**What are you thinking, Shinji?! You'll- **_**Ungh!**_**'** Riolu took a step back and fell to one knee as his trainer's aura flowed through his veins. Shinji's emotions were so raw and full of rage they had crippled him! Did this girl really mean that much to him?

"You wish to die in her place, Ikari?" Sachiel asked calmly. The boy hesitated and swallowed before nodding slowly.

"I… I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let her die. Just put her down and take me instead."

"Shinji…"Asuka rasped; she was running out of air fast. A small tear trickled from her left eye, and for good reason. Either she or Shinji was going to die here, and it was her arrogance to blame.

Sachiel thought for a moment, considering the boy's offer. "…While your suggestion of substitution is quite valiant, I'm afraid I _cannot _comply."

"_What?!"_ Shinji screamed, devastated. His effort was all in vain! This man was going to kill Asuka now! For absolutely _nothing! _

"However," the masked agent continued, as his Tyranitar lumbered up beside him, "Seeing as how you wouldn't be able to live without her, I can grant you your death wish here and now. Tyranitar… fulfill the boy's desire to die. _Hyper Beam."_

'_This can't be happening…'_ Ikari fell to his knees as the Tyranitar opened its jaws wide, a Hyper Beam forming within. There was nothing he could do now except give up; even if he ran, the beast would still get him. It was better to stand in the face of death than run like a coward in front of Asuka.

Riolu stayed in his hiding spot, shaking from fear. Shinji's aura had gone completely flat, the strong and vibrant emotions having vanished entirely. All that remained... _was utter fear._ Was he really giving up now? The little Pokémon wanted to help his trainer badly, but knew that he would end up hurt or worse…

The agent of Seele was more than pleased with himself now. Any chance of the opposition's victory was gone now: Professor Akagi and the Team NERV agents were out cold, and these two children were about to end up dead. Artifact 316 would soon be in his grasp, and a promotion would be coming his way back at HQ. Suddenly, the comm embedded in his mask began to beep. Who would be contacting him now?

"_Speak_," Sachiel ordered as he answered the comm, "I am quite busy at the moment."

"_Stop messing around,_ Sachiel," a deep, rasping voice replied, "I do not care if the child broke your precious mask. Just grab the artifact and then you can kill them."

"_Bardiel,"_ Sachiel said, somewhat annoyed, "It is unwise to be spying on your fellow Seele agents. I do not appreciate your secret supervision, for I am fully capable of completing this assignment myself."

"You do realize that is the _Ikari child_ your Pokémon is about to incinerate, don't you?"

"What of it? He is just another citizen; his life means nothing to Seele as of now. Besides, he is nowhere near the level of his parents in skill."

"Speaking of his parents…" Bardiel muttered before cutting the line.

And then, for the first time in years, Sachiel was caught off guard.

* * *

_'I don't want to die!'_ Shinji had closed his eyes as he awaited for the Hyper Beam to blow him away, tears creeping through his eyelids, _'Why's this happening to me?! To Asuka?! We just got our Pokémon today! It isn't fair!'_

The rumbling of the Tyranitar's attack was growing louder every second; Shinji knew it wouldn't be very long now. He could hear that monster Sachiel talking to someone in the background, about what he didn't know. How could he be chatting with someone now? Was someone's life that meaningless to him?!

Shaking, Shinji closed his eyes tighter as the rumbling turned into a loud screech, ready to fire.

_'No, no, NO!-_

And then, suddenly, the rumbling stopped.

'_What?!'_ Shinji's eyes shot open to see an orange blur ram into the Tyranitar and send it flying into a nearby building. What could have possibly hit that monster with such force? He was not the only one stunned by the action; Sachiel was frozen in shock, still holding Asuka in the air as he witnessed his Pokémon taken down in a flash. Seeing an opportunity, Shinji ran towards the agent and kicked him where every man, no matter how strong or intimidating, hurts.

"_GAHHGH!"_ Sachiel bellowed in pain, letting his grip on Asuka go. Gasping for air, the girl fell towards the ground and landed on her butt beside Shinji.

"Asuka!" Shinji grabbed her by the hand and ran away from the wincing Sachiel. When they were a safe distance away he pulled Asuka into a tight embrace. "Thank God you're alright! You are okay, aren't you?"

"Y-Yeah…" Asuka breathed, feeling comfort in Baka-Shinji's arms. She wouldn't mind staying like this a little longer if they weren't out in the open for all to see. "But you can let go of me now!"

"Oh, yeah… Sorry," Ikari complied as Riolu and Torchic ran up beside them.

'**Shinji,'** Riolu put his paw on his trainer's leg, smiling, **'I must commend you for your bravery. You saved Soryu's life.'**

'**Guess I should thank ya too,'** Torchic chirped as his trainer lifted him off the ground, **'Someone's got to keep this girl out of trouble, 'cause I sure as heck can't do it at this stage.'**

"It wasn't just me," Shinji answered sheepishly, glancing around, "Whatever tackled that Tyranitar deserves some of the credit. Where'd it go?"

Suddenly Asuka pointed towards the sky. "Look! Up there!"

Covering his brow with his hand, Shinji gazed up towards the sun as a large, winged silhouette flew past its blinding core. The shadow then began to dive straight towards the Earth like a missile at high speed. Sachiel's Tyranitar, the victim of this newcomer's attack, stomped out of the crushed building it had been knocked into and let out a ferocious roar, ready to continue the battle. With a gust of wind produced from its small, blue wings, the new arrival landed on the ground with a thud. It was a large Dragon type Pokémon with a rounded orange body and a friendly face, with two antennae like projections on top of its head.

"_A Dragonite!"_ Asuka said in awe, "What's one of these doing here"

"Hey!" Recognizing this Pokémon, Shinji gave the plump dragon a huge grin. "It's been a while, Dragonite!"

"You know this thing, Baka-Shinji?"

"I haven't seen him for a while, but I know this is the same one I met all those years ago... Thanks for saving us, by the way."

Dragonite blushed at the boy, a big bashful smile on his face. **'Aw, it was nothing, Shinji. I'm not the only one you should thank, though…'**

Growling in annoyance, Sachiel stood tall once again and glared at the Dragon type. There was only one trainer in the area with this Pokémon, and he had brought his Tyranitar in the slim possibility it showed up. Still, he did not expect it to actually make an appearance, however. This trainer had many more Pokémon at her disposal, and all were strong enough to take him on. But for her to bring her strongest one… Maybe he shouldn't have attacked the Ikari boy after all.

"So careless of me…" Sachiel mused aloud, as Shinji, Asuka and the Pokémon turned to him, "To think this operation would have gone smoothly, without _her _interrupting me. At least now I will be able to claim the artifact _and_ take down the strongest trainer in all of Avia, besides myself."

"Is that so?" a feminine voice said from behind Shinji. The boy spun around to see a familiar, reassuring face.

"_Mom!"_ Shinji ran to his mother, grabbing her tightly from the waist. "What are you doing here?!"

"To protect you, of course," Yui smiled warmly at her son, "I could hear the ruckus here in town all the way from home, and I wasn't going to sit there and do nothing while my son was in danger. Are you alright?" When Shinji nodded she shifted attention to Soryu. "How about you, Asuka? Are you and the Pokémon hurt?"

Asuka shook her head yes. "We're fine now, thanks to you. Do you think you can take that Team Seele guy down?"

"Yeah, mom," Shinji looked at Sachiel nervously, "He took out the Professor and three agents of… Team NERV, I think. Can you really beat him?"

"Why don't we find out?" Yui ruffled Shinji's hair before breezing past him and Asuka with Dragonite flapping his wings beside her. She stopped about ten feet away from Sachiel with a serious, no nonsense expression on her face. "So, you're the one causing all of this destruction, eh?"

"For the world to become a better place," Sachiel answered, his Tyranitar behind him, "The old must be replaced with new. That is the truth, and that is what I and Team Seele stand for. And no one will stand in our way. Not the International Police, not Team NERV, and certainly not _you_, Yui Ikari."

"I hate to burst your bubble, but you're wrong about one thing."

"Oh? And what may that be?"

"Well, it's all because you made one big mistake: You tried to _hurt my son_. And now, I'm going to do _more_ than stop you. I'm going to make sure your agency _never sees you again."_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Clash of the Pseudo-Legendaries!_

_Yui and Dragonite vs. Sachiel and Tyranitar!_


	5. Stage 5: A Mother's Love Knows No Bounds

**Sooo excited for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire! With all the new Mega Evolutions, I'll have to find a way to incorporate them into the story, possibly a few older ones as well...**

* * *

"So arrogant, Yui Ikari…" Sachiel stared down the woman before him, her Dragonite ready to attack his monstrous Tyranitar on command. The agent of Seele knew just how skilled a trainer Yui Ikari was in the past, and he was sure that her abilities had not diminished over time. However, Sachiel knew for certain he could hold his own and defeat this woman simultaneously. "I am not just some lackey of Seele. I am an elite soldier who has been thoroughly trained in the art of battling. I will certainly not be bested by the likes of _you_."

Yui shook her head in amusement. "If I had a penny for every time someone like you said something like that, I'd be the richest woman in Avia. You're kind is all the same: you talk big, pick on those weaker than you, and then end up falling flat on your face."

Dragonite couldn't help but giggle at his trainer's words, much to Sachiel's annoyance. The hulking agent had had just about enough of this woman. It was time to _end_ her.

"_Tyranitar, Hyper Beam!"_

The Rock/Dark type beast roared as it quickly charged its devastating beam attack within its jaws. Shinji and Asuka stepped back in fear at the sight of the familiar red and white energy.

"Mom!" Shinji called, "Get back!"

"Don't worry, Shinji dear," Yui assured him, unzipping her jacket to reveal a sleek purple trainer's tank, "This will be over soon. _Extreme Speed_, Dragonite!"

With a nod, the Dragon type disappeared in a whistle of dust. Tyranitar had no idea where its target had gone before it was too late. Traveling at the speed of a bullet, Dragonite struck the beast five times: two punches, two kicks and a massive tail smash to finish off the world's fastest attack. Unable to control the energy in its jaws as he skidded backwards from the surprise attack, Tyranitar sent the half-charged Hyper Beam up into the sky and into the clouds before letting loose another blast from its maw, this time a searing Fire Blast attack. Dragonite watched the flaming star shoot towards him, not even preparing to dodge.

"It's gonna hit you!" Asuka shouted at the Pokémon, "Move out of the way!"

"That won't be necessary, Asuka," Shinji's mother smiled, much to the girl's confusion. She knew that Dragonite resisted Fire type moves, but was this woman really going to let her Pokémon take such a powerful attack?

'_Wait for it…'_ Yui eyed her Pokémon with anticipation, _'Counter it, just like we always used to with these attacks. I know you can do it.'_

'**I know just what to do, Yui,'** Dragonite smiled to himself, **'How could I forget?'** The Fire Blast was coming in fast; less than two seconds before impact. **'Counter right… About… NOW!'**

On cue Dragonite released a fast burst of draconic energy from his mouth, cutting a hole through the fire star and dispersing it into the air. The Dragon Pulse kept traveling through the air right towards the surprised Tyranitar before making contact with its rocky hide and exploding.

"_Tyranitar!"_ Sachiel growled angrily as his Pokémon went down. How could his monster be losing to this Dragonite? It's level was in the 70's, for God's sake! "Get up now! Annihilate that Dragonite!"

Strugling back to its feet, Tyranitar snarled as it emitted a Dark Pulse from its body, the black aura moving towards Dragonite like tendrils. Dragonite began to flap his wings rapidly and whipped up a spinning gale of wind. The Dark Pulse became entangled in the growing tornado and dissipated into a black fog within the swirling wind. As Dragonite's attack grew larger in size, it began to pull in everything around it, including bystanders.

"Whoa!" Shinji yelped as he felt his feet begin to slide towards the mini storm. Riolu clung to his leg like a Joltik on a power generator, "This attack's insane!"

"It's _Hurricane!_" Asuka yelled as she pulled Torchic to her chest in a death grip to stop him from being sucked into the vortex, "It's gotta be! There's no other Flying-type move this powerful!"

"Sorry, Shinji!" Yui's jacket was billowing in the wind produced by her Pokémon, "Dragonite only used this move on instinct! I'd say it's a little bit _carried away_ now!"

Catching his trainer's hint, Dragonite gave one last powerful flap of his wings and sent the Hurricane straight towards Tyanitar and Sachiel, catching them in the vortex. As his master was sent spinning in circles almost instantly, Tyranitar held his footing for a good five seconds before his massive frame lifted into the air. The Hurricane lasted for about half a minute before slowly disappearing, allowing Sachiel, Tyranitar and all the other picked-up debris to plummet back to the earth.

"Aggh!" Sachiel roared in pain as he landed hard on his back, his Pokémon nearly crushing him as it fell with a cloud of dust in front of his feet. This couldn't be happening! How could he be losing to this woman?!

"Giving up yet?" Yui called through the dust to her opponent. The cloud of earth blew away to reveal a staggering Sachiel, his Tyranitar barely able to stand.

"What makes you think… I am losing in this situation?" The agent lied through his teeth; he would not, no, he _refused_ to admit defeat at any cost.

"You're Pokémon's already getting desperate," Yui said confidently, "After the damage it took from that Extreme Speed, something it should have normally resisted, it knows my Dragonite is of a much higher level. If you don't want that Tyranitar to get hurt, I suggest you pull him back and retreat. I really don't want to put this town in any more unnecessary danger."

"Retreat?" Sachiel's eye twitched beneath his mask; it wasn't too often that he lost his cool. But now, with the odds of winning fairly slim, he couldn't help but panic. "_Retreat!? _I _cannot_ retreat! Retreating would tarnish the name and reputation of the great Team Seele! I will _never_ commit such a despicable act! The day I do will be the day I _die!_"

"He's really losing it," Shinji whispered to Asuka, "A minute ago he was confident as ever, and now…"

"In the face of a stronger opponent, he's scared witless," Asuka finished, "I never realized how tough your mom was, Baka Shinji. You _obviously_ didn't inherit your battling skills from _her_, that's for sure."

"Really, Asuka? Just can't help but insult me, can you?"

Sachiel began to breathe heavily, hyperventilating in defeat's face. "You will pay for your arrogance, Yui Ikari! Now, Tyranitar… _Stone Edge the children!"_

Tyranitar raised his foot off the ground and roared with all its might. The instant its clawed soles touched terra firma, a line of moving dirt trailed across the ground in a straight line towards Shinji and Asuka, concealing a wicked party of sharpened stone ready to crush whatever it came in contact with.

Yui, realizing the perilous danger her son and his friend were in, spun towards them in a flash. "Shinji! Asuka! Move! Get out of the way_ now!"_

Just as the ground shook at their feet, Shinji and Asuka dove to the side seconds before a pyramid of pointed stones shot out of the earth where they had been standing. Shinji looked at the rocks wide eyed and gasping for air; he and Asuka could have been skewered by that attack!

"Asuka!" Ikari shouted, "Are you alright!"

Brushing the dust off her dress, Soryu heard Baka-Shinji calling for her. "I think so..." She looked at Sachiel, who was in a fit of rage after his underhanded tactic had failed. "He tried to kill us…"she whispered before suddenly filling with rage, "_He tried to kill us! That bastard!_"

Asuka wasn't the only furious one; Yui was just as enraged as she was. That man had just tried to kill her son! "How dare you!" she screamed at Sachiel, "Do you have no soul?! They're just children, you monster!"

"Children have no place in war," Sachiel answered coldly, his head cocked awkwardly, "And neither do you, woman. _Now peri- GEAAGH!"_

Suddenly, before he could order his Tyranitar to let off another Stone Edge, Sachiel was sent flying backwards by an Extreme Speed powered tail whip by Dragonite. He screamed as his prone, flailing body shot straight into the woods a hundred feet away and crashed through a number of small trees before landing in a heap on the forest floor. Turning in surprise at his master's surprise 'departure', Tyranitar came face to face with a glowing Dragonite, growling viciously at him.

"Now finish it, Dragonite!" Yui pointed in victory, "_Superpower!_"

With a roar of pure power, Dragonite quickly flew backwards from Tyranitar before charging back at it like a truck. The sheer force of his strength exuding from the orange glow around him, Dragonite collided with Tyranitar so powerfully that the Rock/Dark type was sent flying instantly into a building sixty feet behind him. Its eyes rolled over, Tyranitar coughed once before falling out of the crumbled wall of the building and onto the earth, knocked out and defeated.

"You.. you did it!" Shinji cheered gleefully, getting back on his feet and running to Yui, "Mom, you did it! You and Dragonite beat him!"

Yui smiled at her son and lay her hand on his shoulder, "That was far from my toughest battle, Shinji. I'm just glad you and Asuka are safe. That's all that matters now."

"I'd give my congrats, but what about the town?" Asuka asked, gesturing to the destroyed buildings and torn earth, "It isn't exactly in _perfect condition._"

"Well, some things couldn't be helped," Yui shrugged, "Besides, if I hadn't arrived, that man would have done far worse than this."

"Still, if Dragonite didn't use that stupid Hurricane it wouldn't look as bad as it is now."

"Come on, Asuka," Shinji sighed, "You're just mad because all that wind messed up your hair – _Oww!_" Asuka slapped the boy upside the head for revealing the truth. "Why'd you do that?"

"Hey, you were asking for it, Baka Shinji."

As the two teens began to bicker around Yui, Riolu and Torchic scurried over to Dragonite. The former clasped his hands and bowed in respect of the much larger Pokémon.

'**Thank you, Dragonite,'** Riolu nodded, **'We are forever in your debt for saving our lives. One day we hope to return the favor to you.'**

Torchic raised an eyebrow at his friend. **'When did **_**you**_** start speaking for **_**me**_**, now?'**

'**Aw, shucks,'** Dragonite blushed with a big embarrassed smile, **'You little guys don't need to be like that. All I did was defend those who couldn't defend themselves.'**

'**You sayin' I'm **_**weak?**_**'** Torchic threatened as menacingly as he could.

'_**Please,**_** Torchic,'** Riolu rolled his eyes, **'Did you really believe you could stand a chance against that Tyranitar? You even agreed with Shinji that retreating was better than dying.'**

'…**I hate you sometimes, you know that?'**

* * *

It was during the late afternoon that a rescue team arrived, along with members of the International Police and NERV. The damage to the town wasn't anything major, other than one totaled building whose owner was a little more than unhappy. Most of the cleanup focused on the random debris scattered around the town from Dragonite's Hurricane attack, with numerous workers gathering it up in disposal trucks. Sacheil's Tyranitar was quarantined by wranglers and taken away in a large cage; what to be done with it was still undecided by officials. Those who were injured during the chaos, those being Prof. Akagi, the three NERV agents and their Pokémon, were receiving treatment from medics; luckily Tyranitar's Dark Pulse left the humans with no serious damage other than a headache that could last for a couple days. The Pokémon were a little more banged up, but there were no wounds a few Hyper Potions and a good night's sleep couldn't heal.

"It's okay, Liepard," Ritsuko was sitting at her Pokémon's side, stroking its fur gently. The Dark type purred back at her before starting to snore softly. "Just rest up. You did the best you could out there today. We all did."

"Professor!"

The blonde turned to see Shinji and Asuka rushing over to her, with the former's mother close behind. She hushed the teens, pointing down at her sleeping Pokémon.

"Oh, sorry," Shinji whispered, "We just came to see if you were okay."

"I'm fine, Shinji," Akagi smiled, "You three seem to be as well, and I'm glad to see that."

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to do so, Asuka asked a question that had been on her mind for the last few hours. "Just what is the artifact Sachiel, or whatever he called himself, was after? Is it really here in your lab?"

"Yeah," Shinji nodded; he had been wondering the same thing and more, "And who's this Team NERV that you work with? What're they doing here in Merganser Town?"

"Now Shinji," Yui urged, laying a hand on her son's shoulder, "Let's not bombard Prof. Akagi with questions now. She's probably worn out after all this excitement."

The Professor smiled to herself, shaking her head. "No, it's fine Yui. I do feel like I'm responsible for answering their questions. _Most_ of them, that is. Come with me into my lab so we can talk in private. You're welcome to come too if you wish, Yui."

"Oh, no," Yui waved her hands in defense, "I've got to get back home and check up on Stoutland. He doesn't do very well in a house all by himself. Tore up the sofa last time I was gone too long… I'll see you later, Shinji dear. You were very brave today."

"Uh, thanks, mom…" Shinji blushed a little as his mother kissed him of the forehead; he wasn't used to being called brave all too often. Asuka rolled her eyes at his sappiness. _'Such a momma's boy,'_ she thought, _'I'd hate to see the kind of man he turns into…'_

"I'll talk to you tomorrow, Ritsuko. You take care too, Asuka." Yui then whistled sharply, calling Dragonite to her side. Hopping on its back, she nodded to the rounded dragon and flew up into the sky and out of sight, already halfway home.

"The things she's seen…" the blonde murmured before turning back to the teens. "Come now, you two. It's time you learned what's _really_ happening in our region."

* * *

The lights were still off in the Professor's lab since Shinji and Asuka last went inside, bar a small desk lamp at the table where the two of them sat across from Ritsuko. Torchic and Riolu were sitting atop the table at the opposite end intently; they didn't quite understand what their trainers were here to talk about, but it was better than being outside alone with the cleaners.

"So," Asuka said, clapping her hands together, "_Spill it_. And don't jump around anything."

"This isn't an _interrogation_, Asuka-"

"_Shut it,_ Baka Shinji! Let me do this _my_ way!"

"Easy, easy," Akagi laughed nervously, trying to calm the children down, "I have _almost_ nothing to hide. Now, what do you want to know first?"

"Um…" Ikari scratched his head in thought, only for Asuka to steal his opportunity.

"What is Team NERV?_ And_ Team Seele, for that matter. Are they like some government organizations or whatever?"

"Well, NERV is. We're a subdivision of the International Police stationed here in Avia meant to deal with the upmost threats to society; Seele falls into that category. I myself am the head of the Scientific and Historical Research United Branch, or… _SHRUB_… for short."

"Really?" Asuka said in a disgusted manner, "The name of your division is basically_ bush?_"

"That's not important…" Ritsuko answered defensively, "Now, onto _Seele_. They are a terrorist group whose motives are unknown at this time. All we at NERV know now is that they are after something we discovered in the Sinnoh Region a few years ago."

"You mean that Artifact 316 Sachiel was talking about?" Shinji asked.

"Correct. We at NERV still do not know exactly what this artifact does, but we believe it may be one of the oldest objects in existence. What Seele may intend to do with it if they ever obtained it, we do not know."

"So is it here?" Soryu said, sitting up in her chair a little, "That bastard wasn't lying then?"

The Professor sighed, looking at the floor in contemplation. If she went through with what she was thinking of doing, she'd technically be breaking a few confidentiality rules. _'Best not to do that,'_ Ritsuko thought.

"…I can't tell you that."

"But you said!" Asuka was about to get snippy with the adult before Shinji intervened.

"Look, Asuka. She said she can't tell us. She'd probably get in a lot of trouble if she did."

"Well, it's not like she _didn't_! That was a pretty long pause, if you ask me. It was basically a silent admission!"

"Um, I'm right here, you two…" Ritsuko sweat-dropped, not appreciating being talked about in the third person. Things were spiraling out of control now, thanks to the girl; it was time that the Professor ended this. "Look, it's getting late now so you two should probably head on home. I'll be happy to answer any other questions of yours tomorrow, okay?"

"Fine…" Asuka grumbled, "But no avoiding answers then, you got it?"

"As long as they're not confidential."

"Why you…" Luckily, Shinji managed to grab Asuka by the arm and pull her out of the lab. The boy waved goodbye to the Professor as the automatic doors closed behind him and their Pokémon, who scurried behind them. He waited a minute or so for the girl to calm down before preparing to walk home.

"You're not going to storm back in there and throw a fit, are you?" Ikari asked, as if he were a parent questioning their child. Soryu responded by grabbing his shirt collar and violently shaking him.

"Just when did you think you could start scolding me, huh, Baka Shinji?" To Asuka's surprise, the boy was not begging for her to let go: he was laughing at her! "What're you laughing at, smartass?!"

"I- It's nothing!" Shinji gasped, wiping his eyes, "It's just, after all that chaos from earlier, I never thought we'd be back to normal like this. I was afraid we wouldn't make it out alive if my mom didn't show up. Now, I'm just glad we're both okay, Asuka."

The girl looked at his stupid smiling face (why did she have to like it when he smiled!) for a lingering moment before letting him go. Before she could say a word a voice hollered from afar.

"Yo, Prof!" Toji and Kensuke were waving at the pair from underneath a streetlight with fishing poles in hand. The Bulbasaur and Oshawott they had faced earlier in battle were by their feet as well. "Why don't you an' yer wife there come down ta da lake wit us before sunset, an' get all dat dangerous stuff outta our heads?"

"I promise we won't get attacked again like earlier!" Aida added.

Shinji and Asuka shared a quick glance.

"Well?" the girl said, "I'm not going with those idiots by myself, if that's what you're thinking."

Shinji just smiled back at her, as if she knew why. "Even if I didn't go, you wouldn't be alone anyways." He and Asuka both looked down at Riolu and Torchic, who were ready to follow them anywhere. The former Pokémon jumped and latched onto Ikari's back.

'**I've never been fishing before,'** Riolu admitted to Shinji, **'Is it a fun experience?'**

'_You bet, buddy. Now let's go have some fun.'_

As Shinji and Riolu went ahead, Asuka picked Torchic up in her arms and watched the boy walk away from her. Fearing a bear hug as gruesome as he had experienced earlier, the Fire type was surprised by a gentle, tender hug from his trainer. Torchic emanated a warm heat from his feathers while Asuka blushed ever so slightly before running to catch up with her closest friend.

"Stupid, stupid Baka Shinji…"

* * *

Somewhere far, far away in the mountainous area of Avia, 16 figures stood in a black room, each behind a podium. The red accented lights from above cast their varying shadows across the floor in a line of ghoulish silhouettes. The shadows lie in front of a wall embedded with a huge computer screen, in which the image of a cryptic eyed triangle sat dead center.

"STATUS REPORT." An emotionless, robotic voice announced from seemingly out of nowhere. On command, one of the 16 figures stepped out from behind his podium and into the center of the floor. He was tall and thin, with long spindly arms and was seemingly wearing a suit of pure black armor. His back was hunched, and his almost S shaped neck ended with a head covered by a sinister, reptilian like mask.

"Agent Number 3, Sachiel, failed to acquire Artifact 316," the figure stated in a deep, rasping voice, "Not long afterwards, all communication between us and him was severed."

"Intentionally?" one of the figures with a woman's voice asked, "I find it hard to believe that he would willingly refuse to contact us, being one of most loyal members."

"Iruel provided us with the intercepted wireless activity of his communicator; it had been deactivated on the spot by him. Since he was able to receive that information, the device is still functional, just deactivated. I suspect him of going AWOL to avoid returning empty handed and the subsequent punishment."

"Can Iruel confirm this?" someone with a youthful, almost angelic voice spoke up, issuing his query to the technology expert in question, "There's no need to bicker if the man himself cannot back it up with proof."

"I can indeed, _yes_," the nasally Iruel responded, "I can pull the records up in a moment's need if required, _yes_."

"Sachiel is no coward, that's for sure…" the figure beside the one with a woman's voice started. His voice was somewhat laid back and carefree.

"…But his pride and ego are too big to allow failure," another with an incredibly deep voice finished from across the floor, "However, should action be taken against him in such a hectic time? Is hunting down a rebel more important than securing Artifact 316?"

The lean figure standing center turned to the deep voiced agent. "Would you prefer him to be captured and our information be leaked to the government or worse, _NERV_?"

"ENOUGH." The robotic voice of the computer interrupted the brewing debate, "ARGUMENT IS ILLOGICAL. NOW RELAYING DIRECT MESSAGE FROM HEAD COMMANDER."

The 16 figures froze in place, their eyes set intently on the screen. None of them bar one knew who exactly the Head Commander of Seele was, but all followed his orders without question.

"This is the Commander," a distorted voice message was being played by the computer, "There is to be a momentary halt on the acquisition of the Artifact. This hiatus will stay in place until Agent Number 3 Sachiel is retrieved, dead or alive. I am handing over full power of the operation over to Agent Number 13, Bardiel. Any and all questions against this will be ignored and passed over. _Meeting dismissed_."

The computer screen then turned back to the logo of Seele, falling silent. As the agents shuffled quietly out of the room, one stayed behind, standing in the room alone and surrounded by the empty podiums. Beneath his black, reptilian mask Bardiel smirked and let out a dark chuckle.

Just as planned…

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_A New Dawn, A New Adventure!_

_Shinji and Asuka's Journey Begins!_


	6. Stage 6: Action and Reaction

**Quick chapter release this time! I had fun writing this one, especially the opening scene. **

**I also edited a scene in Chapter 4 a bit after a helpful reviewer's advice. Nothing drastic, just toned down Shinji's inner monologue a bit. So check that out if you want!**

**Oh, and reviews are always appreciated! Since this story is in such a small niche, having lots of reviews might hopefully gain it a little more attention.**

* * *

The moon was shining like a beacon in the night sky above the endless pine forests north of Merganser Town. Pokémon of all kinds were nestled in their dens, sleeping away their troubles. The nocturnal denizens, however, were wide awake and carrying out their nightly activities. The flashing tail glows of Volbeat and Illumise were sprinkled throughout the trees, while flocks of Zubat fluttered out of their caves and above the forest canopy.

A lone Noctowl sat perched in a tree intently watching the forest floor for any small prey, be it a scurrying Patrat or a tasty Bug type. Its eyes soon caught sight of something moving down below, something big and fast. The shadow was soon followed by three other identical ones, running as a pack, and then another four shapes, different ones the Noctowl recognized as humans.

Or, so it thought.

These shadows dashing through the undergrowth were not human, but humanoid drones of Team Seele known specifically as EVA (Elite Volatile Assaulters) of the Production Series 0.3-8. Capable of strategic analysis without direct command and semi-sentient by design, most Seele drones were given a sole Pokémon matched up with their Production series; this particular run was collectively known as the Houndoom regiment. A violent and unpredictable group, they were usually assigned to dangerous missions that called for body counts, not AWOL retrieval ones. However, the agent in charge of them currently insisted on using them and refused to be denied access to the regiment.

Their black, red chromed armor blending in perfectly with the shadows of the trees and armed with laser rifles, the EVA ran behind their Houndoom who had caught the scent of their target and were currently in pursuit. The Dark-Fire type hellhounds snarled as they dashed over fallen logs and rocks, snorting smoke from their noses.

In the sky above, the agent in charge of the squad watched from atop his aerial mount, the black and yellow beast withering its snake-like body as it sat mid-air over the earth. A beep began emitting from the side of the agent's mask: the EVA captain was contacting him.

"We've found a trail," the 0.3-8 series captain responded, "The Houndoom should be reaching its location soon."

"Relay your coordinates," the agent answered, "Do not take action until I arrive."

"Yes, sir."

Bardiel smirked as he closed the line. One of the first members of the organization, the armored agent was one of Team Seele's most skilled and ruthless soldiers, especially when it came to hunting. Bardiel was willing to take lives if the situation called for it, be those lives of Pokémon or lives of humans. In fact he preferred it that way: in his eyes, those who are imperfect and weak do not deserve the gift of life.

"Coordinates received," Bardiel muttered as numbers appeared before his eyes through the yellow tinted lenses of his mask. Reaching forward, he grabbed his mount by one of its pronged horns and pulled. "Rayquaza, descend. It's time to _start living_."

With a hiss the legendary Dragon type twisted down towards the Earth, gliding over the tips of the pines as wild Pokémon flew away in fear of the awesome beast. In a matter of moments Rayquaza delivered Bardiel to the location of their prey: an old overgrown cabin, located in a small forest clearing. The EVA drones and their Houndoom had flanked the large building, the former with rifles pointed and ready to fire.

"_Do not fire!_" Bardiel ordered, the drones obeying, "We're doing this the _fun way_."

"Understood, sir," the EVA captain knew all too well what the agent meant by 'the fun way'. Turning to his squad mates and the Houndoom, the drone pointed towards the cabin. "Smog the building!"

The four Houndoom howled and pounced forward, breaking the already cracked glass of the abandoned hut before releasing a thick, purple haze from their jaws through the openings. It didn't take long for the inside of the cabin to fill up with the poisonous gas. The EVA drones called for their Pokémon to retreat back as two units rushed forward with blinking devices in their hands, quickly placing the detonators on opposite sides of the cabin. Once the explosives were in place, the drone captain and the other EVA unit each pulled two flash grenades from their belts and tossed them through the broken windows. Three seconds later…

"_Shield your optics!" _

_***KRAK! - KRAK! - KRAK!***_

The flash grenades exploded into a flurry of strobe lights, enough to induce a seizure by just a glance even through the thick purple haze within. Atop the Rayquaza and staring straight up into the night sky, Bardiel smiled darkly as he placed his finger on the trigger for the detonators.

"Come out and play, you cowardly rat."

_***BOOM! - BOOM!***_

Pieces of wood and stone were sent flying as the explosives engulfed the sides of the cabin. The EVA units and their Houndoom dove out of the way and narrowly missed being struck by the flaming debris. Through the smoke, fire and smog, Bardiel managed to see a shadow crawling out of the ground through a hatch in the floor of the demolished cabin.

"Clever bastard was in the basement!" the agent growled, contacting the EVA captain through his communicator, "_Target sighted!_ Disregard the orders to bring him in alive! _Shoot to kill!_"

The EVA captain pointed into the flames as his squad members and their Pokémon turned to him. "Attack! Bring the target down!"

Snarling and drooling at the mouth, the four Houndoom began shooting Flame Bursts into the inferno as their owners opened fire with their laser rifles. As the flames grew higher, they began to spread onto the trees around the ruined cabin. A huge pillar of smoke could be seen from miles away rising out of the forest, sure to attract the attention of the authorities; something that Bardiel quickly realized.

"_Hold fire!_" the agent ordered, pulling a Pokéball from his waist, "Target has fled into the woods; I will continue the pursuit. Turn all attention to dowsing these flames. We don't need a forest fire on our hands."

"Yes, sir!"

Bardiel tossed the Pokéball off Rayquaza, the sphere opening mid-air. From it came a black, long-legged frog Pokémon that landed on the ground below in a ninja like position. Its red tongue, wrapped around its neck like a scarf, wiggled in the wind as it looked up at its devious owner.

"Greninja," Bardiel pointed into the forest, "You know what to do."

The Dark-Water type nodded before dashing into the woods, its black skin merging with the shadows as it pursued its master's prey.

* * *

'_How had things come to this?!'_

Sachiel was almost out of breath as he ran for his life, jumping over rocks and avoiding the trunks of pines concealed by the darkness. The worst day of his life had reached its climax; first, he had failed in Merganser Town and lost his precious Tyranitar, shortly followed by his communicator jamming up not even an hour later. And now his fellow Team Seele members were hunting him for suspicion of AWOL!

'_Damn them… Damn them all!'_

He had no way of returning to headquarters now; even if he did somehow make it back to where his stealth shuttle had been sitting south of town it would probably already have been confiscated by authorities. In a sense he was basically trapped in a position of desertion, a punishment that resulted in…

_*SNICKT!*_

"Huh?" Sachiel looked around worriedly. The forest around him seemed empty without a Pokémon in sight. Where had that sound come from? Was it a bullet? No, he would've heard gun fire as well. Laser fire? Couldn't be; what he heard didn't even sound similar to that. Then what was it? What-

_*SNICKT! __**– THRUNK!***_

"_Gahhgh!"_

Sachiel plummeted to the ground in mid stride, skidding across the twigs and dirt of the undergrowth. His leg was searing with pain, intense pain! He reached down with his hand to grasp it, only to find out _it wasn't there._

"_Ah_\- _AHH!_" the agent shrieked, crawling back on his hands, "_My leg! MY LEG!"_

In his panicked state Sachiel didn't even see the shape emerging from the shadow of a tree, exiting its Shadow Sneak attack. The black frog Pokémon leapt towards him in a spiraling jump, generating a fast spinning Water Shuriken between its webbed hands, ready to throw the cutting liquid through its target's arm this time.

"Gre- Greninja?!" Sachiel knew of only one man who owned a shiny Pokémon of this type, and it immediately froze his blood cold. _"I- It couldn't be…!"_

"Hold, Greninja!" a voice called from above. Sachiel looked up in horror to see a shiny Rayquaza hovering over the trees, its owner jumping off its back. The descending figure dug his hands into the bark of a pine, skidding down the side to slow his fall. He landed on the forest floor with a thud, cracking his neck before approaching his wounded prey. "He's _mine_ now."

"_Bardiel!_" Sachiel wheezed, propping his one legged body on a fallen log behind him, "What is the meaning of this? I…"

"_Shut up_," Bardiel snarled, placing a heavy foot on the wounded agent's chest. He dug his heel between Sachiel's ribcage, twisting and turning it to amplify the pain. "You think you can just run away from failure? From Team Seele? _From me?"_

Bardiel cocked his arm as metal pieces began to form from his armor, producing a sleek, curved serrated blade. The 13th agent ran the edge of the heated blade down Sachiel's mask, leaving a singed line down its center.

"The world does not need imperfection, Sachiel. All that wasted opportunity takes away from those who are perfect beings. And you, the failure that you are, are just a placeholder for a new life to be born, one whose existence will mean much more than yours."

"Your personal beliefs…" Sachiel coughed, "I cannot comprehend… how the commander allowed you to join our ranks…"

"I watched your battle against Yui Ikari on spycam, and I saw how you tried to kill those children when you had no other options left. Unlike you and the rest of the agents, I am ruthless enough to do whatever I must to succeed at any time, even if it means murder… _or sabotage_…"

"What…?" Then, in the face of death, realization hit Sachiel like a brick. "_You!_ _You bastard! You_ disabled my communicator! How did you…?!"

"Iruel does his job well," Bardiel sneered, "It pays to be in league with someone of his technological savvy. And promotions are hard to come by as well. Killing traitors makes for an easy path to one. Now… _Any last words_, my old friend?"

Sachiel fell silent for a moment before looking Bardiel dead in the eyes.

"_Long live… Team Seele…"_

_*SHUNK!*_

Greninja turned his head as his master dealt the killing stab to Sachiel. A crunching sound could be heard as Bardiel twisted the blade and pulled it out of the target. The armored agent kicked the body from its slumped position on the log to the ground before walking away back towards the burning cabin, returning his Pokémon back to their Pokéballs.

"Loyalty to the end," Bardiel muttered, flicking the blood of Sachiel off his blade, "_How revolting_…"

* * *

"Have fun, Shinji!"

Oblivious to the assassination mission that happened in the pine forest last night, Shinji Ikari waved goodbye to his mother as he left his house for town, Riolu by his side. It was quite the beautiful day, with the sun shining and Hoppip flocks gliding gently over the fields behind his home.

'_**Your mother is a nice lady,'**_ Riolu told Shinji as they traveled down the same path the boy had taken yesterday, _'__**First she saves us from certain danger, then the next morning she cooks us a delicious meal.'**_

'_Well, of course she would,' _Shinji smiled, _'She is my mom, after all.'_

'_**My mom never did that… I guess she didn't know how to make waffles.'**_

Ikari chuckled at his young Pokémon's innocence as they continued down the trail. Before long they reached Merganser Town, where to their surprise Asuka and Torchic were waiting underneath the Dragonair arch for them.

"Took you long enough, Baka Shinji!" the redhead snapped, "You know how I hate waiting!"

"You… were waiting for me?" Shinji asked, puzzled, "You could've just went to the lab and asked the Professor what you wanted to. I wouldn't have minded."

Asuka folded her arms in a huff. "You just don't get it do you, Baka Shinji?"

"What did _I_ do?!"

"_Nothing_, that's what! Now come on, we've already wasted _enough_ time."

The girl stormed off with Torchic close at her heels. Shrugging at Riolu, Shinji quickly followed after her down Main Street towards Akagi's lab.

* * *

"Are you sure you're okay with this?... _Positively?_... Okay, then. He should be here any minute now. I'll call you back once he gives his answer... Take care, Yui."

_*CLICK!*_

Ritsuko Akagi hung up the phone and laid back in her revolving chair, spinning it with her toes. She had gotten the call late last night from the higher ups, telling her what was to be done with Artifact 316 now that Seele had gone on the offensive. News reports were all over the T.V of the mysterious explosions in the pine forests last night, and of how a body was uncovered not even a mile away. Ritsuko knew that the body was that of the Seele agent who attacked the town yesterday; NERV officials had identified it in secret before it was taken away by investigators.

Needless to say, Ritsuko thought the Commander's plan was insane. But to disobey an order from the Commander himself… well, that was just plain illogical.

"Good morning, Professor!" As if on cue, Shinji and Asuka walked into the laboratory. Seeing the children, Liepard dashed past Ritsuko and greeted them, rubbing up against Ikari.

"Asuka, Shinji," Akagi smiled, standing up from her chair, "I'm glad you're here. There's something I'd like you two to do for me."

"Getting straight to the point, huh?" Soryu folded her arms, "What about the questions we had for you?"

"Those will have to wait," the Professor approached a large safe hidden in the back corner of the room and entered the passcode. The heavy metal door opened with a hiss as cold air spewed from the inside. Ritsuko pulled out a glass case containing something wrapped in cloth. "I'm afraid something urgent has come up."

"What's in the box?" Shinji asked, pointing at the object in question.

"I'd like you to deliver this for me," Akagi said, ignoring Ikari's question completely as she dug out two bags from a closet, "I figured since you'd be starting your journey today, I might as well have you run this errand for me."

"Our journey?" Shinji questioned again, only for Asuka to butt in his spotlight.

"Hold on, hold on!" the girl snapped, "You think we're just your little messengers?! If you need something delivered why don't you use a Delibird or something?"

"I would, but sadly the only Pokémon I own is Liepard here. Besides, this package needs to be in human hands."

Torchic took offense from the Professor's last statement and fluffed up his feathers menacingly. **'Is there something wrong with **_**Pokémon hands**_**, lady?!'**

'**Just let it go,'** Riolu rolled his eyes, dragging the Fire type away, '**This isn't our business.'**

'_**Everything is my business!"**_

"So…" Shinji said, half distracted by the squabbling Pokémon, "Where do you want us to take this to?"

"Hoatzin City. It's about a day or two away from here by foot, but there's a small town located about halfway in between with a hotel you two can stay at. Once you get there, take it to the Museum of Natural History and they'll deal with the rest."

"You're forgetting one thing," Asuka raised a finger at Ritsuko, "What if we say _no?_"

"Come on, Asuka, you don't have to be rude about it."

"Shut it, Baka Shinji! Like I said before, we're not her messengers!"

Knowing that she could easily convince the girl, the Professor faked a hurt look. "Oh, you don't want to go… That's a shame; I guess I'll have to give these _Pokéballs_ to somebody else..."

"You're damn right you'll…" the girl froze mid-sentence, "…_Pokéballs, _you say?"

"Yup," the Professor opened up one of the backpacks (a red one, intentionally) to reveal at least a dozen of the red capturing devices sitting at the bottom, "Perfect for capturing more Pokémon. Only the most _amateur_ trainers would pass up an opportunity like this."

'_I'm no amateur,'_ Asuka thought to herself, _'And she knows damn well I won't take an insult like that in front of anybody, __**even**__ Baka Shinji. Using my pride against me, I see… Well played, Professor. Well played.'_

"…Fine." Soryu answered, snatching the bag from Akagi and slung it over her back. She grabbed the other one off the desk and chucked it at Shinji's chest, almost knocking him over. "You're lucky this backpack is red, Professor."

"I guess I am, aren't I?"

"_Grrr…"_ Asuka barred her teeth in anger, "Come on, Torchic! _We're leaving!_" Shinji watched as the redhead and her Pokémon stomped out of the doorway and sighed.

"Sorry about Asuka," he apologized to Ritsuko, "She's just… well, you know her."

"I suppose her reaction would be normal from some viewpoints. I'm surprised you didn't try and refuse yourself."

"Well," Shinji looked to the side, "My mom might be worried about me, not knowing where I'm going and all…"

"Oh, she knows."

"Huh? How?"

"I called her right before you and Asuka arrived. She said it was fine by her and that you could use the excitement and get to see the world a little."

"She did?" Ikari smiled slightly; it was just like mom to push him into things like that. She wanted him to be like she was, and explore the world with Pokémon. _'Well then, I guess I can't back down now. Besides, I'm just delivering a message. It's not like I have to __**save the world**__ or anything.'_

"Don't worry then, Professor. Asuka and I'll get this... _thing_ here delivered on time. You can count on us!"

"Good luck to you, Shinji," Akagi handed over the black case to Shinji, who placed it inside his bag. She then pulled out a slip of paper from her lab coat. "If you ever need help, call this number here on your Pokégear ASAP. _Got it?_"

"_Got it."_ Ikari nodded back, a confident smile on his face.

Ritsuko sat back down in her chair as Shinji left the lab. Liepard slinked up beside her and laid its head in her lap, waiting to be stroked. The Professor pleased her Pokémon and grabbed her cup of coffee off the desk, taking a big, long drink of the caffeine.

'_I really hope you know what you're doing with this, Commander Ikari…'_

* * *

"Hello? Mom?"

Asuka was leaning against the exit arches of Merganser Town impatiently tapping her foot as Shinji called his mother on his Pokégear to say goodbye. _'Such a momma's boy,'_ she thought, _'But it is kinda nice that he cares about her enough to say goodbye. Maybe I should tell Auntie the same thing? … Nah, I'll let Akagi tell her.'_

"Shinji, dear!" Yui happily answered on the other end. She was in the kitchen with Stoutland having just finished the breakfast dishes and was now baking a cake for later that night when her friends arrived for a little get together. While she turned away and left the room to talk the big dog-like Pokémon decided to try and snag the bag of icing sitting at the edge of the counter and have himself a sweet feast. Before he could even get close, Yui snapped her fingers and wagged a finger at him. Stoutland pouted a little before walking away in shame. "So… What's up?"

"I think you know why I'm calling Mom," Shinji scratched the back of his head, "There's no need to pretend that you don't."

"I see. So, are you going then?"

"Yeah, me and Asuka both. I'm not sure how long we'll be gone, so I just called to say goodbye, that's all."

"I'm glad that you did…" Yui smiled to herself, feeling tears beginning to build. She paused for a moment to sniff. "Just… You and Asuka stay safe, okay? Train hard with your Pokémon so you can protect yourselves if you need to. Don't make me worry about you."

"I won't Mom," Shinji wiped his eyes as they started to water, "I'll make you proud."

"You know how much I love you, right?"

"I love you too, Mom… Well, I think it's time we get going. I'll… I'll see you soon."

"Goodbye, Shinji."

"Bye… Mom."

_*BEEP*_

Ikari left his finger on the button that ended the call for a few lingering seconds. Letting out a sad sigh, the boy turned to Asuka and was surprised to catch her wiping the corner of her eye.

"Are… Are you _crying?"_

Startled by his claim, Soryu sniffed once before putting on an angry face. "_O-Of course not, Baka Shinji!_ Now hurry up, let's get this stupid errand done with!" She quickly stormed off, Torchic scurrying after her.

'**She was crying, Shinji,'** Riolu confirmed to his master, **'I didn't think she was capable of doing so, to be honest.'**

'Neither did I, buddy,' Shinji answered mentally, 'I wonder what else we'll discover on this adventure?"

Riolu smiled at his master. **'There's only one way to find out.'**

And with that, Shinji and Riolu left the gates of Merganser Town behind Asuka and Torchic, the adventure of their lifetime beginning. What they did not know, however, was that the errand they were running would lead to events that could possibly change, _or destroy_, the world as they knew it…

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_To Hoatzin City!_

_The Transport of Artifact 316 Initiated!_


	7. Stage 7: The Thief of the Meadow

**Just in case anyone was wondering, the armor Bardiel wears basically makes him look just like a human sized EVA Unit 03, pre-Angel infection. Also, the Production Series 0.3-8 drones under Bardiel's control resemble EVA Unit 08 from Rebuild 3.0 in the colors of Unit 03. **

**So, yeah, evil human-sized EVA look alkies. Pretty cool, right?**

* * *

The sun was beaming down on the meadow trail of Route 415. The green grass was adorned with wildflowers and shrubs, the wind blowing softly over them. Miniscule Flabébé and Floette hovered without a care within the colorful plants just enjoying the beautiful day.

'_At least they're enjoying it,'_ Shinji thought as he watched the tiny Pokémon, _'They don't have to deal with anything as bad as…'_

"_HEY!"_ the shrill yelling made Ikari flinch as he felt a muffin bounce off the side of his head, courtesy of Asuka. "I'm talking to you, Baka Shinji! Quit ignoring me!"

Shinji sighed, dusting the muffin crumbs out of his hair. They had only departed from Merganser Town less than an hour ago, and the girl had already forced them to stop and rest. It was bugging Shinji more than one might think. For someone who wanted to finish this delivery as soon as possible, Asuka sure was wasting time this early on. She had picked a good place to stop, though; the meadow was quite beautiful, and Riolu and Torchic quite enjoyed running through the tall grasses in a game of hide and seek. It was also a good thing the Professor had some food stored away in those bags, because Shinji would be lying if he said he wasn't even a little hungry...

"_Yo!"_ Soryu loaded another muffin into her hand, tossing it up and down, "Earth to Shinji! Are you deaf or something?"

"What do you want, Asuka?" Ikari rubbed his brow in frustration, "I'm trying to watch the Pokémon out there."

"So I'm too _boring_ for you, huh?"

'_Not this again…'_ Ikari groaned silently, "Look, I'm paying attention now. What is it?"

Asuka puffed her cheeks up in a huff. "Forget it. There's no point in asking, 'cause I know what you'll say."

A twitch began to form on Shinji's right eye. Deciding it was best to let it go, he picked up the muffin Asuka had chucked at him and began to nibble at it. As he ate, he noticed the girl was looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"…Just say it, Asuka."

"_Nope._ You had your chance, but you pissed me off."

"_Say it!"_ Shinji flung his arms out comically, "For God's sake, you have my attention now so just tell me!"

"_Alright, alright_, sheesh…" Asuka took a canteen from her bag and drank quickly, "So. What do you think the artifact looks like?"

"The artifact?" Ikari looked to his pack, picturing the black box the Professor had entrusted to them sitting inside, "You mean the case?"

"Don't play dumb, Baka Shinji. We both know damn well that's what's in the box. Let's open it and see just what everyone's fussing over."

Sensing the girl might lunge for the bag, Shinji carefully slid it behind him. "I don't think we should do that. What if it disintegrates when we open it or something? Then how will we explain ourselves?"

"Oh, you're such a baby!" Soryu rolled her eyes, "Besides, if that happened then the whole NERV vs. Seele war would probably end. Wouldn't that be a _good_ thing?"

"But then wouldn't NERV and the Professor hate us?"

"What could they possibly do to us? _Lock us away for life?"_

"…Maybe?"

Now it was Asuka's eye that was twitching. Slowly she reached for her canteen and took one long sip before calmly setting it down. "Well, Baka Shinji, I tried to be civil about this. But I guess if you won't open the damn case for me…" Her pupils dilated furiously as she gave the now shaking Shinji a menacing glare, _"I'll open it myself!"_

She lunged at Shinji, knocking him onto his back as her arms reached for the boy's pack. Shinji struggled to hold her arms away from the precious cargo as he lie prone beneath her. "Asuka, don't! The Professor said…"

"The Professor said _squat!_" she kneed him in the chin, focusing her attention from the bag to beating on him, "Come on! If you don't want me to open the case, at least try to stop me! Don't just lie there and whine!"

"I'm not in the mood for this right now, Asuka!"

"Fine then," Soryu plopped her butt down on his stomach, almost making Ikari burp up the muffin he had eaten, "Then I'll make you fight back."

"Wha- _NO._" Shinji looked up in horror as Asuka stuck her index finger in her mouth, then pulled it back out covered in spit. Perfect to stick into his ear. "_Not that, not that!_ _Anything but that! You know I hate that!"_

"It's like someone once said," an evil grin spread across Asuka's face, her finger descending towards the side if Shinji's head, "The best way to make a man fight for his life is to make him fight what he fears most."

"_NOOO!"_

* * *

Out in the meadow Riolu poked his head over the tall grass, the sound of his master's cries catching his attention. Torchic soon appeared beside him, pecking him once in the arm.

'**Found ya,'** the bird chirped, **'You know Riolu, it's not really hide-and seek when you pop out of your hiding place.'**

'**This is no time for playing, Torchic,'** Riolu answered seriously, **'It sounds like Shinji is in danger.'**

'**Dude, him and Asuka are just wrestling again. And by the sound of it, I think he's getting his butt kicked.'**

'**Impossible. Shinji would never lose to a girl. He is a tough young man.'**

'…**What in the name of Arceus are **_**you**_** smokin', man?'**

'**Joking about human drugs is not funny, Torchic. Addiction is a serious medical condition in their society, I believe.'**

'**Well, aren't you just most righteous Pokémon-**_**WHOA!**_**'**

Suddenly a large bounding object dashed between Riolu and Torchic, knocking the two little Pokémon to the ground. The Fighting type was the first to sit back up, looking around for what had almost run him over.

**'There it is!'** Riolu pointed as Torchic joined him, shaking the dirt from his feathers, **'It's heading straight towards Shinji and Asuka! It's a…'**

* * *

"It didn't have to come to this, Baka Shinji," Asuka sighed. She had been put in a very awkward position: after trying to wet a second finger to shove into Shinji's ear, the boy had stopped her hands with his, holding her by her wrists as her digits sat inches from his ears. "All you had to do open that case. You're so stubborn!"

"I'm not the one who's stubborn here!" Shinji yelled. His eyes were closed so he wouldn't accidentally look down Soryu's shirt, the collar hanging open right in front of his face. "Now get off me!"

"What's the matter?" Asuka smirked, "Don't like having a _girl_ on top of you? I didn't think you were on _that _side of the fence, Baka Shinji."

"W-what're you talking about?!"

"Oh come on, you're not _that_ stupid!"

And then Shinji proved her wrong with one short, impossibly _stupid_ sentence.

"_If anything, you'd end up bending it!"_

The meadow fell deathly silent as Asuka's face blushed just about as red as her hair at his perverted comment. Poor Shinji sat there for a second, clueless, before realizing himself what he had said.

'_Oh, shit…'_

"_YOU LITTLE PERVERT!"_ Asuka roared, pulling her wrists from his hands and immediately reaching for his neck, _"I'M GONNA THROTTLE YOU!"_

"_I'm sor- GAK!"_ Shinji tried to apologize before Soryu's tight grip clasped his tiny neck. His arms flailed around as he gasped for air, his eyes shooting back open. The first thing he saw, however, was something he never even thought of seeing at that moment.

"A… su… ka…" Ikari rasped, slowly pointing up at something, "Lo… ok…"

"Trying to say something else, pervert Shinji?" Asuka snarled, "Why don't you just get _everything _off your chest right here and now?!"

'_B-AAAAAA!'_

The sudden unexpected sound made Asuka freeze in place. She slowly looked up and came face to face with a furry, horned brown and white head that was smiling at her. "…What the hell?"

'_B-AAAAA!'_ the creature bleated right in Asuka's face, causing her to fall back off Shinji who took a huge breath the moment her hands left his neck. Air back in his lungs, Ikari gazed up at the goat-like Pokémon looking cheerfully down at him.

"Uh… Hi?" Shinji gave a small wave to the wild Pokémon, "Can I help you?"

"Get away from that thing!" Asuka yelled, pulling Shinji by his ankles, "It's not a domesticated Skiddo, so it could have fleas or something!"

"A Skiddo?" Shinji held his Pokégear towards the Pokémon, activating the Pokédex. The device scanned over the goat's body before the voice of Professor Akagi read its Dex entry:

'_Skiddo. the Mount Pokémon. Thought to be one of the first Pokémon to live in harmony with humans, it has a placid disposition. If it has sunshine and water, it doesn't need to eat, because it can generate energy from the leaves on its back.'_

"See?" Shinji turned to Asuka as the Skiddo turned its attention to his pack, sniffing it for food, "The Pokédex says it's nice to humans. I don't think it wants to hurt us. He just wants to say hi, I guess."

"Oh, _really?_" Asuka gave him a sly smile, "Is that why he's stealing food from your bag then?"

Ikari turned to see the Pokémon shoving its furry head into his bag, obviously after the food stored away inside. "Wha- _Hey! Get out of there!"_

'_BAA!'_ Startled, the Skiddo leaped up into the air, caught in the act of thievery. As it jumped, the straps of Shinji's bag became entangled in its horns.

"Whoa! Calm down there, buddy!" Ikari raised his hands passively as Asuka laughed hysterically at his misfortune, "Let me get that bag off your head!"

'_BAA! BAAAA!'_ Frightened and scared by the voices seemingly coming from nowhere, Skiddo stumbled backwards and dashed off across the meadow towards the woods, Shinji's pack still stuck around his face. As a flabbergasted Shinji watched the bag carrying the precious cargo disappear into the trees, Riolu and Torchic came onto the scene.

'**What is wrong, Shinji?'** Riolu asked, **'You have a strange look on your face? Did the girl do something to you?'**

'**So it's automatically **_**her**_** fault now, eh?'** Torchic huffed, **'Keep accusin' her of stuff and I'll torch your ass right here, man.'**

By this time Asuka's laughing fit was coming to an end as she wiped the corners of her eyes. "If only _*snicker*_ you could see the look on your face right now, Baka Shinji!"

"…It… got it…" Ikari stammered, eye twitching yet again.

"What're you blabbering about now?"

"Th- the bag… it's got…"

Soryu grabbed the boy by the shoulders, shaking him violently. "_Spit it out!_ What's it-

"The artifact… _was in that bag_… _on his head_…"

The girl's eyes widened tenfold as she realized just how serious things had gotten.

"_Scheiße!" _she cursed in German. Only rarely did Asuka swear in her native tongue, and when she did it usually meant something seriously bad had happened. "Stop stammering and get your ass up, Shinji! We gotta go catch that thing _now!"_

* * *

'**I can't see! I can't see!' **Skiddo bleated as he dashed through the trees blind, stumbling over logs and hilly terrain as his fellow forest Pokémon watched him in confusion. This was so embarrassing! Why did he have to stick his head so far into this accursed bag?! And why did there have to be such a heavy case inside it too?!

'**I gotta get this off of me!' **Quickly stopping in place, Skiddo thrashed his head back and forth trying to dislodge the human object from his horns. A couple minutes later his prayers were answered as the parcel flung off his head into the treetops above and fell straight back down after colliding with what Skiddo figured was branch.

'_**Ahh,'**_ the Grass type let out a sigh of relief, happy to see the light of day again, **'Much better. All that running made me kinda hungry though… I should probably eat something in that bag. Or I should just eat **_**the bag**_**; it does look kinda appetizing… Yeah, let's just do that.'**

His goat instinct of _eat-anything-in-sight_ kicking into overdrive, he trotted up to the bag drooling from the mouth. Before he could get any closer, however, there was a loud buzzing sound coming from the tree above.

'**Huh?'** Skiddo looked up to see an angry wasp-like Bug type hovering down towards him. Unluckily for him, he knew this approaching Pokémon all too well. **'Oh, crap…'**

'**What'zz zizz?'** the Pokémon, a Beedrill, buzzed, **'If it izzn't my **_**good friend**_** Zzkiddo. Izz zizz your bag here zat hit me in ze head a moment ago?'**

Skiddo's legs began to quake as Beedrill flew closer, the Bug type's large stingers gleaming in the light shining through the leaves above. **'Look, Beedrill, I didn't mean to do that, honest! I know this is the third time I've bugged you since yesterday, but this time was a complete accident! You gotta believe me!'**

'**Tzzk, tzzk, tzzk,'** Beedrill shook his head, **'You muzzt know better zan to poke ze nezzt of a bee, even if only zer izz only one bee rezziding. But you, **_**my friend**_**, have done ze **_**unzinkable!**_** You zrew ze equivalent of a rock at ze nezzt! And now…'**

Suddenly Beedrill lunged at Skiddo, stabbing at him with one of his large stinger hands. The Grass type narrowly dodged the Twineedle attack as it collided with the dirt beneath his feet. The Bug type pulled his arm out and prepared another strike with his opposite side.

'_**Ze dizzobidient lamb muzzt feel my zzting.'**_

* * *

'_B-AAAA!'_

As they ran through the forest in search of Skiddo and the backpack, Shinji, Asuka and their two Pokémon heard the bleating cry for help pierce the silence. The sound didn't seem like it came from far away, so they were much closer than they thought.

"This way!" Asuka said, vaulting over a boulder in her path, "Hurry up you Slowpoke!"

"I'm trying!" Shinji snapped back as he clumsily crawled over the rock his friend had traversed with ease, "Sorry I'm not as athletic as you!"

"Well try harder!" Asuka skidded to a stop to wait for the poor boy. Before she could even hurl another insult at him she heard the sound of hooves clomping behind her. _"_Wha-_ WHOA!"_

The girl jumped to her left in the nick of time as Skiddo dashed through where she once stood. Shinji was not as lucky, for the goat Pokémon crashed into him just as he finished climbing over the rock, pinning him to the hard object.

'**Are you okay Shinji?'** Riolu asked, rushing to his master, **'You're not hurt, are you?'**

"I don't think so…" Ikari rubbed the back of his aching head. He looked down at the Skiddo laying over him and noticed that it was trembling. "Hey… What's wrong? Why are you shaking?"

'**He's coming!'** Skiddo bleated nervously, **'He's coming to get me! I gotta run away!'**

Unable to comprehend his language, Ikari looked to Riolu as he gently petted the frightened Pokémon's head. "What's he saying, Riolu?"

'**He says that he is being pursued by something… But what could it be…?'**

Suddenly the air was filled with the sound of buzzing as Skiddo's attacker hovered onto the scene. The revengeful Beedrill looked at the humans and Pokémon around his target, surprised to see that the annoying Skiddo actually had friends.

'**Zzo, Zzkiddo,'** the Bug type brandished his stinger hands, sharpening them on each other, **'You zink you can hide behind your comradez, eh? I zink not!'**

Without warning Beedrill dove straight towards Skiddo and Shinji, not even caring if he impaled the human boy with his lethal stingers as well. Skiddo closed his eyes as he waited for the stingers to hit, but was surprised to feel the boy squeezing his body tight. This boy, whom he had tried to steal from earlier, was now ready to protect him from danger! What the boy said next to him, however, made his eyes light up in awe and gratitude.

"Don't worry, little guy," Shinji whispered with a smile, "We'll make sure this guy never bothers you again!"

'**Time to bring the heat!'** Seeing himself as the perfect counter in this situation, Torchic leaped into action and fired off an Ember at Beedrill, hitting the wasp right in the abdomen.

"Get 'em, Torchic!" Asuka cheered, clenching her fist, "Scorch that bug!"

'**Zzhha!'** The flames catching him off guard, Beedrill spiraled off course towards the ground. Riolu ran to meet the descending bug and fired off a rapid flurry of Bullet Punches directed at its face. Beedrill quickly pivoted his spiraling body so the poisonous barb on its abdomen was ready to strike the little Fighting type with a Poison Sting attack.

"Watch out Riolu!" Shinji called as he saw the attack coming his Pokémon's way. Riolu also saw the attack and grabbed Beedrill by his antennae, vaulting himself up and over the wasp.

'**You little pezzt!'** Beedrill snarled, thrusting his stinger hand upwards to try and catch his smaller adversary by surprise. But to _his_ surprise, Riolu had vanished from sight, no longer behind him but below him. The little dog had transitioned into a Quick Attack to avoid the Twineedle strike and was now in prime position to hit Beedrill in his small, frail chest area.

_*WHOOM!*_

Riolu's kick struck hard, the impact rattling throughout Beedrill's exoskeleton. The force was so great that it sent the wasp hurtling straight into the trunk of a tree. Beedrill slammed into the big oak torso-first, seemingly glued to the tree for a few moments before sliding down the trunk and into a pile of bramble, down and out.

Riolu dropped back to the ground and glared in the direction of his defeated opponent. **'You tried to be powerful by inducing fear into those weaker than you, and now you have been served your justice. Let that be a lesson to you.'**

Torchic rolled his eyes at his pal's attempt at an epic speech. **'That was **_**so**_** corny, dude.' **

"Good job, Riolu!" Shinji congratulated his Pokémon, "You too, Torchic. That Beedrill didn't know what hit him."

"_Ah-Hem!"_

"Oh, you too Asuka… Wait a minute! You didn't do anything!"

"W-What!" Asuka flinched when he stated the truth. Even though he was right, she still didn't like being left out of his little gratitude speech. In fact, being left out of _anything_ bothered her just as much. "How dare you accuse me of not helping! That's _so_ like you, Baka-Shinji!"

Much to Ikari's benefit, Skiddo took this moment to give his utmost appreciation to his saviors. **'Thank you! Thank you!'** he bleated over and over again, nuzzling up to Shinji, **'You have no idea how thankful I am for what you guys did for me!'**

"Um," Shinji looked to Asuka as the wild Pokémon continued to rub against him, "I think he's pretty happy for us saving him."

"I hope that thing gives you fleas."

'**Oh!'** Skiddo sat up in a flash, rolling off Shinji and prancing towards the direction from where he came. **'Stay here for a minute, okay? I've got something to give back to you!'**

Riolu translated the wild Pokémon's bleating to Shinji. The boy complied with the goat's wishes and waited with Asuka at that spot for a couple of minutes. Before long, Skiddo was running back with the pack containing the artifact around his horns.

"Hey!" Shinji exclaimed happily as Skiddo began to talk again, "He brought the bag back!"

'**I'm sorry for taking this from you guys,'** the goat said as Riolu translated, **'I saw you were eating food and thought I could snag some for myself. I never wanted this whole thing though, just a little bit to munch on. I'm very, very grateful to you for protecting me even after I took this away from you. I really hope we can be friends after this.'**

"Well?" Asuka asked, hands on her hips, "What did the little fleabag say?"

"Riolu says that Skiddo's really sorry for all this," Shinji said, ignoring the girl's mean insult and turning attention to Skiddo, smiling at the grassy goat, "And that he wants to be my friend. I don't see anything wrong with that!"

'_**Really!'**_ Skiddo beamed at the boy's kind words, **'Oh boy! I've never had a friend before! This is awesome! Hey, do you wanna play in my meadow sometime?'**

"Well… I was thinking you could come along with us on our journey," Shinji looked at Asuka and the two other Pokémon, "If that's okay with you guys."

'**I see nothing wrong with that.'** Riolu smiled in response, **'The more of us, the better.'**

Torchic nodded his head in Riolu's direction. **'What he said.'**

Hesitantly, Asuka let out a small sigh. "… As long as you check him for fleas first."

"So, what do you say, Skiddo?" Shinji reached into his bag and pulled out a Pokéball, "Do you want to be my Pokémon?"

'**I… I'd love that!'** Suddenly, Skiddo bumped his head on the center circle of the Pokéball, activating its capture sequence. A white light enveloped the goat's body as his form was transported into the capturing device. Shinji looked deeply into the red sphere in his hands, his newly acquired friend inside.

"Well, wasn't that sweet," Asuka said mockingly, heading forward into the forest, "Come on, Baka-Shinji. Let's get out of these words before we get attacked by any more bugs."

"Not even a _'congratulations'_, Asuka? I just caught my first wild Pokémon!"

"No, you didn't; it caught itself. If you actually battled it like a normal trainer I might actually be a little impressed. Now get your ass up so we can go."

Sighing, Shinji stood up to follow her, attacking Skiddo's Pokéball to the side of his waist.

'**Don't fret, Shinji,'** Riolu patted Ikari on the leg, **'I am happy for you.'**

"Thanks, Riolu," Shinji answered, even though he would have rather heard it from Asuka. What he didn't know was that she was happy for him, but not just for his accomplishment. Now that Shinji had a Grass type, her Torchic would eventually have a perfect type advantage over his entire team once his Riolu evolved. Asuka would be at the top, just as she should be.

'_Don't worry, Mama. I'll make you proud… Wherever you are up there…'_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Time to Stock Up!_

_A Visit to the Traveling Market!_


	8. Stage 8: Market Place Blues

**Big news regarding the story: **

**So, like any other young adult fresh out of high school, I'm going to be heading to college in about two weeks time. I'm going to try and get one more stage out for you all before that time comes, because the updates will most likely slow down afterwards as I adjust to my new way of life. I'm not going to abandon this story, so please don't stop following it, okay?**

**As always, your reviews are always appreciated. Feel free to tell me what your favorite Pokémon is too, if you want. Mine's Blaziken :)**

* * *

It was common knowledge in Avia that Rhea Village hosted the biggest annual marketplace this side of Hoenn. Every year vendors from across the globe travelled to this usually quaint town to pedal their goods to natives and fellow travelers. The things sold here ranged from the common to the rare to the bizarre: Ever wanted to try Slowpoke Tail? This was the place to go for it.

Almost anyone living in a 20 mile radius of Rhea Village had visited the market at least once in their life. The few that hadn't knew of its reputation as a staple in the history pages of Avia; ever since the first humans set foot in the region, this market has been coming and going since year one. However, not all first-time visitors were impressed by it.

Asuka Langley Soryu was one of those people.

"This place is a dump," she said, disgusted by the dirty atmosphere presented by the crowded aisles between the shoddy stalls, "No wonder Auntie never decided to bring me here."

Shinji on the other hand thought the exact opposite. Having lived on a small farm with his mother his entire life, seeing all these other country folk trading crops and showcasing their prized Pokémon was the coolest thing ever. "How can you not think this place is awesome?"

"Shinji, there is Pokémon crap all over the ground. That's reason enough to hate this place."

'**Look over there!'** Torchic's eyes lit up as he saw a stand selling chocolate coated Poképuffs, **'We gotta get us some of those Riolu!'**

'**I'd prefer not,'** Riolu said, carefully stepping over some unknown Pokémon droppings in his path, **'For once I agree with Ms. Soryu. This place is not much to my suiting. Besides, sweets such as those are bad for your teeth.'**

'**I've got an idea: Why don't you pull that stick out of your ass and live a little…'**

"You don't like it here, Riolu?" Shinji gave his Pokémon a hurt look.

'**No! No!' **the Fighting type waved his hands in defense,** 'It's not that I don't like this place, it's just… Um…'** Riolu looked around desperately for a distraction, **'Oh! See that!' **he pointed down the aisle way towards a game stand. Two young children were walking away from it with Pokémon they had just won in their arms.

"This Archen is _sooo_ cool!" one of the kids squealed, hugging his First Brid Pokémon.

"Well my Omanyte's _waaay_ cooler!" the other one retorted, "I'm gonna call him Lord Helix!"

'**You can win a new friend over there, Shinji,' **Riolu continued,** 'Does that not sound fun?'**

"Hey, your Pokémon's got a good idea for once, Baka Shinji," Asuka smirked, "Let's go see how many more Pokémon I can win than you."

"I don't know about that," Shinji studied the stand disapprovingly, "Didn't Team Rocket try and get away with selling Pokémon in Kanto a few years back?"

'**Really?!' **Hearing of the illegal actions made Riolu rethink his quick decision. **'Maybe I should have chosen a different booth…'**

"You're so stupid, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka grabbed him by the arm and dragged him towards the game booth, "If it was Team Rocket doing this, NERV or the police would've caught them the second they arrived!"

"Fine! Fine!" Shinji shouted, "I'll play! Just stop pulling my arm so hard!"

"You wimp! I'm barely tugging on you!"

* * *

"_~ If I was a rich girl, Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na nah! See, I'd have all the money in the world, if I was a wealthy girl ~!"*_

If there was one thing Mari Illustrious Makinami liked, it was money. The spectacled girl knew how to make it too; with her father being one of the leading scientists in the field of reviving fossilized Pokémon, she had more than enough ancient creatures to give away in games of chance. Her games weren't particularly challenging (if at all; almost anybody could throw a dart and hit a balloon), but a dollar fifty a play each from the countless people visiting her stall to win an exotic extinct Pokémon added up to a hefty sum at the day's end.

Mari was just counting up her revenue from the day so far when she heard the sound of teenage bickering coming her way. She quickly stashed her earnings in her safe box underneath her seat as her next three dollars stopped at her stand.

"Why, _hellooo there!"_ Mari shouted popping up over the counter with arms outstretched like a celebrity before her countless admirers. Her customers, a dopey looking boy and a redhead chick, gave her an odd look, unimpressed by her over-the-top appearance. Mari was too used to these kinds of faces, and knew just how to get under these people's skin. "Now, aren't you two a cute little couple!"

"Listen here, you!" the redhead snapped, blushing just a bit more than her semi-oblivious partner, "We are _not_ a couple, so why don't you stop with the acting and-"

"You guys aren't together?!" Mari exclaimed, pretending like it was a big secret the world had just found out. The spectacled girl gave a sly cat smile; she liked this girl. Easily angered, obviously having feelings for her friend… Messing around with her would be a piece of cake. "Now isn't _that_ a shame… So you wouldn't mind if I did _this?"_

Suddenly Mari reached over the counter and grabbed the boy by his shirt collar, pulling him towards her. She got nose to nose with the sappy looking boy and locked eyes with him, staring seductively at him. "Name's Mari," she whispered with a wink, "What's _yours,_ Puppy-Boy?"

"Uh-um…!" he blinked twice, sweating nervously. Before he could even stutter an answer the redhead ripped him away from Mari possessively, shooting the stall owner a venomous glare.

"Well, well," Mari smirked, twirling one of her bangs, "For not being together, you sure are possessive of him, Princess."

"First of all, we're _not_ together," the redhead spat, "And secondly, the name's _Asuka_, not _Princess."_

"Asuka, huh? I think I like Princess better," Makinami said playfully, pointing a finger at the boy, "Still didn't get Puppy-Boy's name, though."

"Don't mind Baka-Shinji," Asuka said, effectively phasing Shinji from the conversation, "He's the one who thinks your little stand here is part of Team Rocket's grand scheme. But then again maybe he's right, with you harassing us and all."

"Really? Team Rocket?" Mari tilted her head in confusion, "Though I do like money, I don't know about that. If I was on any team it would've been Team Flare. They had pretty cool sunglasses…."

Asuka was tired of this girl already. She had to shut her up now before she started rambling on about Team Flare's fashion sense. "Okay, okay, you're not on Team Rocket. Back to the point: We came here to play your stupid game, so how much does it cost?"

"Oh! So that's why you stopped!" Mari giggled, hopping her rear up onto the countertop, "Dollar fifty a dart, Princess. But how about this? If you give me ten dollars for just one dart, you'll win the mystery prize. How's that sound?"

"…What's the mystery prize?" Asuka asked suspiciously.

"It wouldn't be a mystery then, Princess!"

"Do you think I'm stupid?" the redhead rolled her eyes, "I could be paying ten bucks for a damn Magikarp. It'd be cheaper just to go buy a Pokéball and chuck it into a pond and catch one myself."

"I doubt she'd do something as ridiculous as that," Shinji said from behind Asuka, then taking a moment to consider the possibility; this Mari girl was quite erratic. "Would you?"

"I dunno," Mari shrugged, "I've got a bag full of Pokéballs here, and I'll let you pick any one you want. So even _I_ don't know what the mystery prize is. One thing I can tell you is they're all fossil Pokémon in there, and some are fully evolved…"

"Fully evolved?" Asuka's eyes lit up. If she could pull a Kabutops or a Rampardos (hell, even an Aerodactyl!) out of that bag, she'd easily put Shinji's two Pokémon team to shame. Without warning she shoved her hand into Shinji's pocket and pulled out a ten dollar bill, slamming it down on the counter.

"_Hey!"_ Shinji shouted at the thief, to no avail.

"Give me a dart," Asuka demanded of Mari. The spectacled girl gave Asuka a gleeful little smile as she handed over a dart in exchange for the cash.

"Good luck, Princess. Don't miss."

"Yeah, whatever," Asuka muttered, closing one eye as she aimed at the Drifloon colored balloons hanging across the stall. Having selected her target, she flicked her wrist and sent the dart flying towards the purple spheres.

_*POP!*_

The dart had pierced through a balloon sitting in the very center of the cluster. Soryu smirked as she imagined the powerful Pokémon she was about to obtain.

"We have a winner!" Mari shouted, striking a pose and making a victory V with her fingers directed towards the redhead who decided not to even dignify the peppy girl with any sort of response. Pretending not to notice Asuka's rudeness, Mari heaved a big satchel full of Pokéballs up onto the countertop. "Take your pick, Princess. Remember: You only get _one_."

Like a savage animal Asuka dug her hand into the giant satchel, feeling around the spheres inside until she found one she thought was lucky. "Ha!" Asuka laughed, shoving the Pokéball in Shinji's face, "This is it! The best Pokémon in the bag! And it's all mine now!"

Rolling his eyes, Shinji calmly pushed the Pokéball from out of his personal space. "Why not instead of bragging about it, you actually release it out so we can see it?"

"Yeah, Princess," Mari chimed in, her cat smile back, "Let's see if you paid your money's worth."

"I'd wipe that smile off your face, _Glasses_," Soryu snapped, "One more snarky from you and I'll have this Pokémon demolish your little stand here!"

"So you're calling me Glasses now, huh? Such a cute nickname. And to think I thought you hated me… There really is a heart inside that black hole in your chest, isn't there?"

And with that Asuka reached her breaking point.

"…You're dead." With an evil grin Asuka casually tossed the Pokéball into the air and watched as it broke open in a white light. The three all watched with varying degrees of anticipation as the shape of a Pokémon began to form.

And then they saw it.

It was no Kabutops or Rampardos, and it certainly wasn't an Aerodactyl.

It was in no way intimidating or fearsome looking.

And it was definitely _not_ a Fossil Pokémon.

There was only one word that could describe the look on all three of their faces once they saw Asuka's newest Pokémon:

'**KARP!'**

Out of all the Pokéballs Asuka could have chosen out of that bag, she managed to grab the one that contained possibly the most pathetic Pokémon known to man.

_Magikarp._

The three teens and their Pokémon stared in awkward silence at the fish as it flailed on the ground doing absolutely nothing. Shinji almost felt bad for the poor Pokémon, knowing that its new trainer was going to treat it just as well as dirt because… well, that's just about how useful it was, anyways.

"Now isn't that strange?" Mari broke the silence with a snicker, scratching the side of her head in faux confusion to stop from laughing, "I wonder how that got in there?"

"Tell us the truth, Mari," Shinji sighed, "That bag is full of Magikarp, isn't it?"

"Well… One or two might have slipped in by accident. Emphasis on accident."

"You've got _five seconds_, Glasses" Attention shifted to Asuka, whose growling voice was sprinkled with hints of violence, hatred and murder combined, "_Five damn seconds_ to grab as much of your shit as you can before I beat the ever loving _hell_ out of you."

"Is that really necessary, Asuka?" Shinji pleaded, trying to pull the girl away whose body didn't budge an inch, "I mean you still got a Pokémon, even if it's kind of useless…"

'**KARP!'**

"Five…" The countdown began.

"Come on, Asuka! Let it go!"

"Four…"

"_For the love of God forget about it!"_

"_Three…"_

"Just to clarify," Mari piped up, "You _are_ going to keep the Magikarp, right?"

"_Two…!"_

"_Asuka, don't do it!"_

'**KARP!'**

"_ONE!"_

Poor Magikarp didn't even see it coming. Not that it mattered; it wasn't like he would have been able to stop the rampaging Asuka from grabbing him by the tail and then to proceed to swing him like a baseball bat at Mari. The spectacled girl let out a yelp as she just narrowly ducked out of the way of the large fish.

"Whew!" Makinami panted, "That was close! You almost got me there, Princess!"

_*WHOOSH!*_

"Missed again ~!"

"You little…" Asuka barred her teeth at her prey, "Stay still and take your beating like a man!"

'_**KAAARP!'**_ Magikarp shrieked as he was swung once again, this time bouncing off the side of the stand.

"Ooh, now you're getting your genders confused Princess. That's what anger does to the unintelligent."

"_DIE!"_

A flabbergasted Shinji stared with disbelief at his friend wielding a Pokémon like a weapon; the whole scene was just so surreal he was rendered speechless in trying to stop her.

'**What should we do, Shinji?'** Riolu asked, a similar stare like his master's on his face.

'**Yeah,'** Torchic followed, **'I'm taking your stance for once; my usual one's lost her shit.'**

"Hey, Asuka," Ikari said nervously, afraid of being struck down by the Magikarp for speaking, "Me and the Pokémon are just gonna go pick up the food we came here for while you… uh, finish up here. You good with that?"

"_RRHAAAAGH!"_

'…I'll take that as a yes,' Shinji let out a great big mental sigh, "Alright, we'll be back then. Just don't kill the Magikarp, okay?" As he turned to leave, ushering Riolu and Torchic to move away quickly with his hands, Mari poked her head out from behind the countertop like a Diglett from its hole.

"Aww, you're leaving, Puppy Boy?" she pouted before ducking back down to avoid Asuka's fish-bat, reappearing at the other end of the counter, "We were just starting the fun!"

"I'll pass," Shinji quickly declined, "It was nice meeting you anyways, Mari."

"See you later, Puppy-Boy!" Mari waved goodbye before resuming dodging Asuka's relentless Magikarp assault. Shinji quickly fled the scene with Torchic and Riolu, wishing to get away from those two insane girls as soon as possible.

'**Bitches be crazy,'** Torchic sighed as he glanced back at his rampaging owner, **'Bitches be **_**ca-ra-zy**_**…'**

* * *

Fifteen minutes after leaving Asuka behind Shinji and the Pokémon had wandered deeper into the city of stands and stalls, stopping at a few to grab some food for their trip as well as some items like Potions, Antidotes and Pokéballs. As they were walking and looking over the menagerie of goods for sale, Shinji had released Skiddo from his Pokéball to serve as Riolu and Torchic's mode of transportation. The long walking was obviously hard on their tiny legs, and the goat Pokémon's grassy back was the perfect seat for them.

'**See, Riolu?'** Torchic chirped with a mouthful of Poképuff, **'I told you these things were great!'** The four of them had just left a sweets stand, Shinji purchasing a delectable dessert for each of the Pokémon.

'**I guess you are right,'** Riolu said, staring at the Poképuff with a guilty face, **'Why must things so bad for me be so delicious?'**

Shinji laughed a little at his Pokémon. "It's the rule, I suppose. Everything good in life has some kind of negative to it. Like Asuka, for example."

'**What is good about her, exactly?'**

"… Okay, maybe that was a bad example."

'**Hold up, hold up!'** Torchic interrupted in a huff, **'Ya think I'm just gonna sit here all nice and quiet while you talk trash about my owner? No friggin' way, man!'**

'**Okay then,'** Riolu folded his arms in judgment, **'Name one good thing about her.'**

'…**She gives good hugs.'**

'**That's the best you could come up with?'**

'**It's true! Seriously, ask him!**' Torchic flapped one of his tiny wings towards Shinji, **'She's probably hugged him **_**at least**_** once. Go ahead, ask him!'**

Riolu pinched his temple and sighed, **'Does Asuka give good hugs, Shinji?'**

"Wh-What?!" For obvious reasons the question made Ikari incredibly flustered, "Why would you ask that, Riolu?"

'**Just say no, Shinji, so this ball of arrogant feathers behind me shuts up.'**

'**At least I'm not tryin' to be the all-righteous symbol of justice…'** Torchic muttered in response.

"W-Well," Shinji laughed nervously, "I'm not just going to lie about that…"

'**She hugged you!?'** Riolu was taken aghast by the shocking revelation, **'Ms. Soryu!? As in Asuka Langley Soryu!? That's impossible!'**

"It was a long time ago! All I remember is it wasn't _that_ bad. Heck, I was just as surprised as you are right now."

'**See!'** Torchic cackled in victory, **'I told you I was right! But look who didn't believe me!'**

'**You don't have to rub it in…'** Riolu pouted, defeated. While Shinji stopped to comfort his Pokémon as Torchic continued to gloat, Skiddo continued to stroll casually along, taking in all the sights around him. This new unfamiliar environment was quite awe-inspiring for the recently wild Pokémon, and he loved every moment of it.

What he loved most, however, was the food. The Poképuff he had just finished gobbling down was one of the best things he had ever eaten, and as a goat he had eaten a variety of things. Flowers, rocks, paper bags… You name it Skiddo had most likely consumed it at one time or another. And here, in this menagerie of food, trinkets and other tiny colorful things, the goat saw not a market place but a buffet. As he and his companions had been walking the aisles Skiddo was searching for the perfect snack. He knew that if Shinji saw him trying to snag something off a stand he would get mad and put him back in his Pokéball. Now, as Shinji was distracted with the Pokémon on his back, he had the perfect opportunity.

'_What looks good, what looks good…'_ Skiddo wondered as he hunted down his next snack. And then he saw it: a brown square looking thing sticking out of some man's back pocket. It reminded him of something humans called chocolate, something he found incredibly tasty. _'If it looks like chocolate, it must taste like chocolate!'_ Drawing closer, Skiddo neared his meal with a cheerful little smile and opened his mouth, biting down on the stranger's wallet.

"_YOW!"_ the stranger yelped in pain, spinning around to see a Skiddo with his wallet and part of his pants hanging out of his mouth. The goat's owner had just noticed his Pokémon's action and was trying to pull the item from its mouth. "What the hell is this?!"

"Let go, Skiddo!" Shinji grunted as he yanked on the wallet, "You can't eat this!"

'**But it tastes **_**sooo**_** good!'**

'**Um, Shinji…!'** Riolu pulled on his trainer's sleeve in urgent fashion as the big, muscular man whose funds were currently being tugged out of a Pokémon's mouth hovered over them.

"_YO! KID!"_ the stranger yelled angrily. Ikari froze when he saw him, intimidated by his sheer bulk. "Is that _your_ Pokémon eatin' my money!?"

'_Stay calm, stay calm…'_ Shinji panicked silently, trying to think of some way to get out of this. "Uh… Yeah?"

'_**Real smooth**_**, Ikari!'** Torchic added with much sarcasm.

The big man smirked, cracking his neck. "You do realize that theft is a crime, right little man? Even if you have your greedy little Pokémon do it for you?"

"I'm sorry, okay!" With a quick pull Shinji removed the object from Skiddo's mouth and handed it to the man, "Here's your wallet back I don't want any trouble, honest! Just don't call Skiddo greedy!"

"I'll call your Pokémon whatever I want!" the stranger snickered, "Besides, what are you gonna do about it? I don't think you realize that I'm a lot bigger than you, _pipsqueak._"

'**Ooh, that's gotta sting…'** Torchic quietly commentated, much to Riolu's annoyance.

'**Will you shut up!'**

Shinji had had enough of this guy making fun of Skiddo; it was time to make a stand. "…I don't care what you call me," he stood up a little straighter, trying his best to look brave, "But you will _not_ make fun of my Pokémon!"

"Heh," the man bent down, eye level with Ikari now, "You've got some guts, kid. How about we settle this the old fashioned way? You know, one - on - one? Man - to - man? Pokémon - vs- Pokémon? Or are you just gonna _pussy out_ like the little runt you are?"

Shinji hesitated for a moment; he had never had a battle with someone alone before! He would've lost his first battle against Toji and Kensuke if it wasn't for Asuka; could he really win without her? Either way, he was about to find out right now. Only true cowards backed away from a trainer battle.

"_You're on."_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_We Can Do This!_

_Shinji and Skiddo In Action!  
_

*Lyrics by Gwen Stefani, not me. No, I don't particularly like her as an artist, but I can totally imagine Mari singing that in the given situation_._


	9. Stage 9 - Market Place Deux

**Told you guys I'd get one more stage out before college :) And with two days to spare too!**

**So this is going to go one of two ways: Either 1) Chapters will come out faster now that I have more alone time, or 2) They'll slow down considerably during my home-sick induced state. _Hopefully_ its the former.**

**And please don't forget to review! All your support is very much appreciated!**

* * *

"Stupid four-eyed weasel…"

Leaning on the side of a vacant stall, Asuka was grumbling to herself as she licked an ice cream cone she had purchased to cool herself (more so her temper) down. Somehow, during her Magikarp wielding assault against Mari I. Makinami, her new nemesis had managed to slip away from sight and vanish, leaving her with rage that needed to be released. At first she thought of using the useless fish Pokémon as a kicking bag, but then realized that she might kill the thing if she touched it any more.

'**KARP!'**

Asuka looked down at Magikarp as he did the only thing he knew how: splash around on the ground like an idiot. She sighed quietly as she licked her cone again. It was best not to look at it; that way she wouldn't feel pity for it. This thing cost her from getting a Kabutops! There was no way she would show it any love at all!

'**KARP!'**

"Don't look at it, Asuka…" she muttered, "Let it just flop for its life like the rest of its kind. Besides, what's the point of having it if I can't even battle with it?"

She knew very well how all Magikarp were completely hopeless in battle. Its move pool consisted of 4 moves tops: Tackle, Flail, Bounce and the infamous Splash attack its kind was known for. No TM or HM moves either; it literally had no use other than to splash around and eventually die. The only way it could have any redemption was if it managed to evolve…

'_WAIT.'_ Asuka's mind froze. How could she be so stupid to forget why this thing was even considered a Pokémon in the first place?! This Magikarp could very well be her ticket to success! All resentment of the fish gone, she hoisted up off the ground and held it out in front of her.

"Hey, so we got off to a rough start," Asuka said with a sly grin, "But that was mostly your fault for being, well, nothing better than a living baseball bat."

'**KARP?'**

"But I'll forgive your uselessness if you do one little thing for me: _Evolve_. Now I know that sounds pretty hard of a thing to do with your simple little brain and all, but your kind has to turn into a Gyarados somehow. Do you think you can do that?"

'…**KARP?'**

With a deadpan stare, Asuka let the fish drop back to the ground. "God, you're even dumber than Baka Shinji." Speaking of the boy, Soryu figured it was about time she went and found him. Returning Magikarp to his Pokéball, she stepped out into the aisle way and narrowly missed a collision with a young boy and his Omanyte.

"Watch where you're going, twerp!"

"Sorry, miss!" the boy apologized, holding up his little fossil Pokémon, "Me an' Lord Helix here we're just runnin' to see the battle startin' in the Central Plaza!"

"A battle?" Asuka was intrigued; if people were rushing to see the action, then perhaps Baka Shinji would be there too. Not to mention the witch with glasses, whom she still had unfinished business with. "Take me there, kid."

"_No way!_ You called me a twerp! That was mean!"

'_Time to work my magic.'_ Flipping her hair back, Asuka bent down to eye level with the kid, batting her eyelashes flirtatiously. "_Pretty please?_ I'll buy you an ice cream cone if you do…" Little did she know that this boy hadn't developed any trace of hormones yet, and was as oblivious as a Slowbro to her charms.

"_PFFFT!"_ The boy spit his tongue out at her, sprinkling her face with his saliva. Asuka's attitude towards the toddler immediately flipped from tolerable to hatred.

"_You brat!"_ She screamed, grabbing the kid tightly by the shoulders and shaking him, "Just show me the way, dammit!"

"_Waaah!"_ the boy shrieked, his Omanyte retracting into its shell, _"I need an adult!_ _I need an adult! Help!"_

Heads started to turn towards Asuka at his words, much to her dismay. The last things she needed right now were charges of child assault. Before anyone could get a good look of her face, she slunk into the shadows between the stalls, deciding that it may be best to look for the Central Plaza and Shinji herself.

"This is all _your_ fault, Baka Shinji!" she hissed quietly, "Running off like that! You better pray I don't find you soon, or you're in for one hell of a beating!"

* * *

An ample crowd had gathered at Central Plaza over a five minute period, every face of it anxious for the upcoming battle between two visitors to the marketplace. No one knew their names and probably never would, but the favorite in the match was the young boy with his Skiddo. There was just something about him that the people felt to root for. His opponent on the other hand looked like a loathsome fellow, nothing more than a cueball biker wannabe with an ill disposition.

In other words, a grade A _asshole._

"Are you ready yet, kid?" Cueball bellowed impatiently, tapping his foot, "You've been yappin' with your Pokémon enough! Wrap it up!"

Knelt down by Skiddo, Shinji shot the man an annoyed look before returning his attention to his Pokémon. This was the goat's first ever battle, and Ikari wanted him to be ready both in mind and spirit.

"Okay Skiddo," Shinji ruffled the fur on top of the Pokémon's horned head, "I want you to do your best out there, so make sure you stay focused and listen to my voice only. Got it?"

'**Got it!'** Skiddo bleated with a smile.

'**Do not fear defeat, friend'** Riolu added in, **'What doesn't kill you will make you stronger.'**

'**And don't cry if you get your ass kicked, either,'** the ever sensitive Torchic followed, **'It'll make you look like a pansy.'**

Skiddo tilted his head in confusion. **'How's that supposed to help me?'**

'**It won't,'** Riolu face palmed, **'Anything that comes out of that bird's beak is usually nonsense.'**

'…**Are you ever gonna stop putting me down, you self-righteous mutt?' **

'**Only when you stop being moronic every time you speak, Torchic.'**

A civilian stepped forwards out of the crowd and into the center of the battle area to serve as the impromptu referee for the bout. "Are the competitors ready for battle?" he asked, looking at Shinji and Cueball intently.

"Hell yeah," Cueball grinned, tossing a Pokéball in his hand, "I've been ready to whoop this kid's ass a long time ago. And so has my Pokémon!" The man threw his Pokéball, and out of it came a stocky, rabbit like Pokémon with big ears and a smug grin. It pounded its large ears together like fists before letting out a huge burp like grunt. "Cower before the might of Diggersby!"

"A Diggersby…"" Shinji went to his Pokégear for info on this Pokémon he had never seen before:

'_Diggersby, the Digging Pokémon. With their powerful ears, they can heft boulders of a ton or more with ease. As powerful as an excavator, they can be a big help at construction sites and can reduce dense bedrock to rubble. When it's finished digging, it lounges lazily.'_

"That thing sounds pretty tough…" Ikari looked at the bulky rabbit waiting to battle. Checking his Pokégear again, however, revealed to him its Ground/Normal typing. And after looking at his Pokémon's move set, Skiddo actually had the advantage here! With that little boost in morale, Shinji gave his Pokémon a pat on the back. "Go get him, Skiddo. You can do it!"

With a bleating battle cry Skiddo dashed onto the battlefield in a bounding leap, anxious to get the action started. Zigzagging right towards Diggersby, the Grass type lowered his horned head for a Tackle attack. Diggersby pounded its belly in intimidating fashion before pulling one of its giant ears to slap away the incoming goat with a Hammer Arm.

"_Oooh!"_ Cueball gloated, laughing a big arrogant laugh, "Your Skiddo's in for it now, pipsqueak! Diggersby's gonna slap him so hard, he's gonna feel like he kissed a freight train!"

The rabbit's giant ear whooshed through the air on a full-on collision course with Skiddo. But this did not deter the little goat from stopping. Instead, he used the oversized body part as a stepping stone towards Diggersby's face. With one big hop Skiddo landed on the ear and then dove straight into Diggersby with his horned head.

"Good job, Skiddo!" Shinji cheered, much to his Pokémon's appreciation.

'**I'm gonna win! I'm gonna win!'** Skiddo bleated over and over again in glee.

"_What the!?"_ Cueball's jaw dropped as his rabbit skidded across the battlefield on his back. "Get the hell up, Diggerby! Don't let that damn goat do that to you!"

Grunting, Diggersby propped himself to his feet with his massive ears, eyeing down Skiddo. With the goat's back was turned to him, he saw an opportunity to strike. He quickly raised his ears up high and brought them pounding to the ground, launching his heavy body up into the air for a Bounce attack. By the time Shinji noticed the rabbit hurtling back down to earth directly above Skiddo, it was too late.

"_Look out, Skiddo!"_

'**Huh?'** The unsuspecting Skiddo looked up at the worst moment as the rear of Diggerby blocked out the sun.

_***WHOOM!***_

A mushroom of dust erupted from the impact site, blowing through the crowd of people. As it cleared Diggerby could be seen hopping out of the small crater it had created, dusting itself off with his ears before reaching in with them to pull out its crippled adversary.

"Skiddo!" Shinji winced as the rabbit tossed his Pokémon's limp body to the ground. The goat coughed as he wobbled back onto his hooves.

'**Oww…'** Skiddo cried in pain, **'That… really hurt…'**

But Diggerby wasn't done with the wounded Grass type yet. Launching himself with his ears, he torpedoed like a seeker missile into Skiddo headfirst. The Mount Pokémon yelped as he skipped across the dirt, unable to catch his footing in his tumbling state.

"Haha!" Cueball clapped loudly, as the crowd booed the arrogant jerk, "That's the power of Diggerby for y'all! He ain't gonna take no shit from a stupid little goat!"

"Skiddo!" In a dash Shinji hurried to his hurt Pokémon, kneeling down beside it and propping its head up on his leg. "Are you okay, Skiddo?!"

'**Ungh…'** Skiddo mustered a weak cry as he tried to stand up again, **'Don't worry, Shinji… I can do this… **_**I gotta win!'**_

'**There's no shame in losing,'** Riolu advised from the sideline, **'It's much better than becoming seriously hurt!'**

'**The mutt's right for once!'** Torchic agreed, **'Don't wind up crying!'**

But Skiddo was having none of it. This was his moment to repay his trainer from saving him from Beedrill, and he was not going to fail Shinji. Wobbling on his hooves, he slowly made his way back towards the battlefield. Cueball couldn't help but scoff at the goat's perseverance.

"Don't know when to give up, eh?" The man clapped once as a signal to Diggersby, "Finish this, Diggersby! _Take Down!"_

The rabbit once again propelled himself with his ears, homing in on Skiddo. Unbeknownst to Cueball and his Pokémon, Shinji just realized that this attack was a perfect way for him and Skiddo to do some damage.

"Now, Skiddo!" Ikari shouted, pointing at Diggerby, _"Razor Leaf!"_

'_**Eat this!'**_ Quickly pivoting his body, Skiddo released a flurry of spinning leaf blades from the grassy fur on his back into the oncoming rabbit. The super effective hit caught Diggerby off guard, and he veered off course from the goat and into the dirt head first.

"Get up, Diggersby!" Cueball ordered as his Pokémon struggled to pull its mighty ears from out of the ground with only its weak forearms.

"Here's our chance!" Shinji exclaimed, clenching his fist, "Leech Seed him!"

Taking in a big breath of air, Skiddo huffed and released three large seeds from his back onto Diggerby, which almost instantly burst into vines that wrapped around his trapped body on contact. They then began pulsating a green glow as the rabbit's energy for battle transferred from it to Skiddo in the form of bright green bubbles.

'**I'm… feeling stronger!'** Skiddo bleated, leaping up and down in joy as he absorbed the energy bubbles. With every passing moment Diggersby was moving slower and slower as his belly drooped towards the ground.

"This can't be happening!" Cueball screamed in disbelief: That stupid kid flipped the tide of the battle with just that one move!

'**I don't believe it!'** Torchic gasped, **'He's actually winning!'** Suddenly the little fire bird heard a familiar voice call his name from behind.

"Torchic!" Asuka swooped up from behind her Pokémon and hoisted him into her arms, "I figured I'd find you here with Baka Shinji's mutt. Where the hell is that idiot, anyways?"

Riolu pointed straight ahead. **'Maybe you should close your mouth and open your eyes instead, Miss Soryu.'**

The redhead was genuinely surprised to see her lifelong friend standing before her, back turned and focused on his battle against some ugly bald guy. _His _battle. As in _Baka Shinji's_ battle. Something about that combination of words didn't settle right with her. And what was even more shocking than him battling by himself, he was winning it too!

"He's battling… _and_ winning… without _me?_" A look of what one might consider fear came over Asuka's face. Since that battle against Toji and Kensuke in Merganser Town, she'd always been right there beside him, making sure that he wouldn't get his ass kicked. Heck, she even had Torchic help with that Beedrill in the woods that was going to sting him and his stupid goat! But now that he could handle this battle by himself, did he not need her anymore? Was he better than her now?

"Shinji…!" she started to say, in an effort to distract and sabotage his match. But then she saw his face, one that was caught in the thrill of battle, one that wore his ever stupid smile. He was so happy, and so were his Pokémon; even her own Torchic was cheering him on. As much as she wanted him to depend on her, Asuka couldn't bear to do something so despicable to the Pokémon and him.

_*WHUD!*_

Back on the battlefield, Diggersby's trapped body landed on the ground, all his energy drained by the Leech Seed. The crowd grew quiet before bursting into a rally of cheers and applause for the victor.

"We won!" Shinji jumped up in the air, fist held high. Just as excited as his master, Skiddo dove into his master and snuggled close, bleating happily the entire time.

'**That was awesome!'** the goat laughed as Ikari gave him a big victory hug, **'Let's do it again!'**

The only person not thrilled by the battle's outcome was, of course, Cueball. For such a big burly man, he took defeat just as well as a spoiled little girl who was refused candy by her parents. He dropped to his knees, stunned out of his mind as he recalled his defeated Pokémon back to its Pokéball. "B-but I had a Diggersby tho… _A Diggersby tho!"_

While Cueball cried his eyes out in defeat, Asuka mustered up her pride to go congratulate Shinji. Instead of actually speaking to get his attention however, she wrapped him in the head with the back of her hand. _'It's not like he doesn't deserve it,'_ she justified mentally, _'He still abandoned me earlier with the four eyed freak…'_

"Asuka!" Shinji rubbed the back of his stinging skull, "When did you get here?"

"Just enough to see your _big win_," Soryu said sarcastically, "That Leech Seed tactic was _sooo_ not underhanded and wimpy at all."

Torchic raised an eyebrow at his trainer. **'Kinda harsh, don't ya think?'**

Asuka was surprised to see a look of disappointment on Ikari's face. It wasn't like him to take her words to heart; usually he shrugged them off like nothing. "Sheesh… Can't you ever be happy for me?"

"…Look," Asuka sighed quietly, shaking her head, "Maybe it wasn't that cheap of a victory. It obviously wasn't as perfect as one of mine might have been, but it was… _decent._ So, good job for being decent. _Better?"_

"I… guess?"

"Alright then," she reached out her hand and pulled Shinji to his feet, noticing his defeated opponent sulking a couple yards away, "Now correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that guy owes you some winnings."

Shinji looked over at Cueball nervously. "I _really_ don't think we should bother him right now. He might not have a Pokémon, but he can still probably kick my ass."

"Either _he_ kicks your ass, or _I_ do Baka Shinji. Man up and decide."

Taking Asuka's threat to heart, Shinji reluctantly walked towards Cueball, making sure Skiddo and Riolu were at his side to stop any attack. Unbeknownst to him, someone was watching him through the crowd of people leaving the scene.

* * *

"So Puppy-Boy pulled a win outta this," Mari Illustrious Makinami adjusted her glasses with a smile, carefully staying out of her subject's (as well as Asuka's) view. "Guess he's not as dopey as he looks."

Reaching into her shirt, she pulled out a pink Clefairy cellphone hiding in her bra and speed dialed a number. After a few beeps someone answered the line.

"This is Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki. You may speak."

"Hey, old geezer!" Makinami said cheerfully, much to the elderly man's dismay, "It's Mari, if you hadn't already guessed. Is Commander Ikari there?"

"I am afraid he is not. However, he informed me that you would be contacting Headquarters once you contacted his son. I assume you have done so?"

"Yup. I just watched him win a Pokémon battle. The boy has potential, I'll give him that. So does he want me to go hitch up with him and his girlfriend to watch over that artifact thing?"

"You are somewhat correct. There will be someone joining Shinji, but it will not be you, Ms. Makinami."

"Aww!" Mari's spirit drooped at Fuyutsuki's words, "But that would've been so much fun!"

"I'm terribly sorry to disappoint you," Fuyutsuki apologized out of courtesy, "But the Commander is very adamant about whom he wishes to accompany his son. In fact, he has already ordered her to arrive at that location. She should be there by nightfall."

"Well, damn," the spectacled girl scratched her head, "I guess if the Commander doesn't need me right now, I'll just head on home. Don't have anything else to do, really. _Unless_ you need someone to play a rousing game of shogi with…"

Terrible memories of the last time he played shogi with the girl flooded into Fuyutsuki's mind. "No- I mean, I'm quite busy at the moment, Ms. Makinami. I will not be free till God knows when. So sorry, but I must be going-

_*CLICK!*_

"Hmph!" Mari tucked her cell back into her shirt, "Guess the old geezer didn't feel like losing today…" Before turning to leave the girl took one last glance at Shinji and Asuka. The man he defeated in battle had just thrown a wad of money at him and ran away in embarrassment. While the boy confusingly watched him flee, the Princess was drooling over the dozen $20 bills Cueball had carelessly handed over.

"See you guys later," Makinami said to herself with a smile as she gazed up into the afternoon sky, "The sun will be setting soon, you two. Say hello to the moon for me, won't ya?"

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Can't We Get Some Shut-Eye?_

_A Visitor In The Night!_


	10. Stage 10: Crimson Gaze, Lead Me Astray

**Welp, I'm finally here in college. Feels nice to not have parents breathing down your neck. Gives me a lot of extra time to work on this. Don't worry, I'm not skipping class; they don't start until tomorrow :P**

**Anyways, my second favorite Pokémon debuts this chapter. Try and guess who it is.**

* * *

After a long day of pedaling their goods, the merchants of Rhea Market began packing up their merchandise at twilight, just as the thieving flocks of Murkrow descended over the stalls. The Dark Flying types perched in the trees of the surrounding forest, waiting intently for the area to be free of humans. These birds were well known for their intelligence, and could easily break into locked crates to steal the delicacies of salespeople who were careless enough to leave them unattended.

Since this was the last day of the Rhea Market, many of the merchant peddlers would be departing at dawn back home and needed this last night of rest. While a watchman and his Growlithe from the local police force were tasked with patrolling the alleyways to shoo away any invading Murkrow and stop possible looters perpetrating on the grounds, the exhausted sales people took shelter in one of the many small inns that resided in the heart of the village. These family owned hotels received profit not only from them, but from travel weary trainers who needed a roof over their heads for the night.

"Two rooms, please!"

The sound of Asuka slamming her hand down on the front desk of the quiet inn lobby most definitely woke up some of the sleeping patrons upstairs. Standing beside the girl was Shinji, who rolled his eyes at his friend's inability to consider others. He held Riolu and Torchic in his arms, the two little Pokémon worn out from the day's events. They had been to almost every inn in town, and had been turned away due to full vacancy; hopefully Shinji would get the chance to put the Pokémon down and rest his arms here.

"Aren't you two a little young to be out this way by yourselves?" the innkeeper, a plump old lady, teased, "Do your parents know where you are?"

Soryu was not having any of this old hag's pestering. _"Listen lady._ We're trainers with Pokémon, and we need somewhere to get some shut eye. So why don't you cut the crap and give us each a room?"

Feeling the need to butt in, Shinji carefully pushed Asuka aside before things turned violent. "Please excuse her," he apologized, "She's just tired, that's all. I'm sorry if we're causing any bother to you, ma'am."

"My, aren't you a sweet little one!" the old lady pinched Ikari's cheek like a baby, "But I feel as if I should be the one apologizing. You see, I only have one room left vacant. It only has one bed, if sharing is what you two are worried about."

"_One bed!?"_ Shinji and Asuka exclaimed in unison. Ten years ago when they were toddlers, that wouldn't have mattered as they shared a bed all the time during sleepovers. But now was a completely different story. The two of them knew _exactly_ what happened when two people of the opposite sex slept together, And while deep down Asuka did care for Shinji as more than just a friend, she certainly didn't want any of that happening _tonight._ Well… maybe that wasn't exactly the truth. Either way, she definitely wasn't going to act enthusiastic about this in front of _him._

"Oh well," Asuka shrugged, turning to the door to leave, "Guess we're sleeping outside tonight, Shinji!"

"Hold up a second," Shinji stopped her, "Is there any way to, like, _divide_ the bed?"

The inn lady put a finger to her lips in thought. "I have some curtains you could hang up, if that might work."

Asuka didn't like where this was going. She had to stop him _now._ "Shinji… What _the hell_ do you think you're doing?"

"Getting us a room. What else?"

"I'm _not_ sharing a room with you! Do you know what people would think!?"

"Well _yeah_, but…"

"Oh so _that's_ it!" She approached him threateningly, holding a fist in his face. Her wrath was usually enough to put him in place in these situations. "You want people to think you've scored, huh? You _pervert!"_

"No! No!" Shinji waved his hands in defense, accidentally dropping Riolu and Torchic to the floor. Surprisingly, the two little Pokémon weren't awoken by the fall and continued to snore away. "I just don't want to sleep outside with wild Pokémon that could get us, that's all! _I swear!"_

"Aren't you two a little young to be worried about _those_ kinds of things?" the old lady chimed in.

"Stay out of this!" Asuka snapped back, before returning her anger to Ikari, "And you! How do I know you won't try and jerk off over me while I'm asleep!?"

"_That's sick,_ _Asuka!_ How the hell could you even think of me even doing something like _that_ to you?!"

The inn keeper was starting to feel uncomfortable now. "So… Are you two getting the room or not?"

Shinji narrowed his eyes at Asuka. It was time to make a stand. "…Yes, ma'am. We'll take it."

"_You_ can sleep there if you want," Asuka folded her arms in a huff and put her back to Shinji, _"I'll_ just find somewhere_ else_ then."

The old lady handed over the suite key to Shinji who paid her then sighed at Soryu's stubbornness. "Fine then, Asuka. If you step out that door, don't expect me to let you in no matter how much you beg. I mean it."

"I'll show you to the room," the old lady stepped out from behind the counter, "My name is Miss Muu, if you need me for anything, young ones."

Asuka watched Shinji and Miss Muu walk down the hallway. _'That Baka-Shinji,'_ she thought_, 'How dare he defy me like that! Well, I won't give him the satisfaction of his victory, or succumb to his idiotic charms. Besides, it doesn't look too cold out there tonight anyways…'_ Outside the window she heard the sound of Murkrow calling in the night, as well as the numerous creepy sounds of Bug Pokémon in the woods around the village. To top it off, the haunting cry of some devilish Pokémon stood above all, calling its Murkrow brethren and sending a shiver down her spine.

"…Dammit!" she cursed as she reluctantly chased down the hall after Shinji, thinking of a way to justify her fear without sounding as stupid as him.

* * *

It took only a short time for Asuka and Shinji to make the adjustments to the room. Taking Miss Muu's suggestion, they hung a curtain to divide the two sides of the bed. Though the divider was quite sheer and transparent, it still provided some form of privacy for the two. Shinji placed Riolu at the foot of his side of the bed, while a small nest of pillows was made on the floor by Asuka for Torchic.

"There, we go…" Asuka whispered, putting the finishing touches on her Pokémon's nest. She gently placed Torchic in its center, tucking in the pillows around him. "Sleep tight."

Shinji was lying on the bed with his legs dangling over the side, staring up at the ceiling as he thought about all that happened earlier in the day. "Today was pretty exciting, wasn't it Asuka?"

"Eh, I guess."

"You guess?" Ikari sat up in surprise, "Wasn't any of that fun for you?"

"Not really," Soryu disappeared behind the curtain, her silhouette projected onto the white sheet, "Whereas _you_ won a battle with a Pokémon that captured itself for you, _I_ got ripped off by a four-eyed bitch and ended up with only a _damn Magikarp_ that may be too mentally challenged to ever evolve. How was any of that fun for me?"

"Well… _uh!"_ Shinji started to answer but froze when he gazed at Asuka through the curtain just as she began to take off her shirt and change into her night clothes. The sight of her slim, svelte frame made his face light up bright red. "I, um… I don't know?"

"_Of course_ you don't, Baka-" Asuka scoffed, peering at his shadow on the curtain. It took her a second to realize he wasn't facing the other way, and that could've only meant… _"Where you looking at me?"_

"N-no!" he denied, but Asuka saw right through his lie. A fleeting moment passed before she burst through the curtain, grabbing him by the collar. Shinji could barely keep his eyes from looking down her loose pajama shirt that exposed a great deal of her cleavage to him.

"You see this?" Asuka shook the curtain in his face, "This… is the Walls of Jericho. You even think of crawling under them and you won't come back over here the same. _Understood?"_

Shinji quickly nodded his head in agreement.

"Good," she said, pleased, "Now it's time for _children_ to go to bed."

Asuka shoved him down to the mattress and disappeared back to her side of the Walls, leaving the boy by himself to think of the (most likely horrible) things she would do to him if he dared put a finger in her personal space.

* * *

It was about 1:00 AM when something awoke Riolu. The little Fighting type rubbed his eyes as he sat up on the bed, looking around the dark room. It was completely silent, other than the crowing of Murkrow outside. The light of the moon illuminated the bed, an almost angelic glow radiating from its surface. Shinji was fidgeting in his sleep, but he wasn't having a nightmare; Riolu knew that he wasn't the source of his awakening.

'**Strange…'** Riolu looked out the window at the dark world outside. Whatever aura he was sensing was just out there somewhere, beckoning to him. **'This feeling… I can't put my finger on it, but it feels so… **_**unnatural.'**_

He hopped down to the floor and headed towards the door; he had to find the source of this ethereal aura. As Riolu started to reach up for the doorknob, something behind him began to rustle.

"R-Riolu?" Shinji moaned quietly, half-asleep, "Where are you going? Something wrong?"

'**I don't know,'** the Pokémon responded, **'There is something outside. I am not sure how to say it, but it is **_**calling**_** to me.'**

"Calling to you?" Shinji could feel his Riolu's aura contact his, and instantly felt the strange force that was beckoning the Fighting type. "You're right… I can feel it too."

'**Should we investigate?'**

Shinji thought for a moment before standing. "Let me grab my shoes." Initially his conscious said no to this idea but something in the back of his mind started telling him otherwise, something he couldn't describe. Making sure not to wake Asuka, he and Riolu quietly slipped out the door in search of the source of this mysterious sensation.

* * *

Shinji had never really been much of a night person. Even after his childhood days of fearing the monsters in his closet passed on, the eerie shadows of the night still freaked him out. If not for this impulsive aura calling to him and Riolu, he would never be strolling about the empty grounds of the Rhea Market in the dark like this.

"You think we're getting any closer, Riolu?" he asked his Pokémon. The Fighting type was obviously much better at following these kinds of things than him.

'**Yes,'** Riolu answered with eyes closed in concentration, **'But it is moving. I believe it may be looking for us, as we are it.'**

That thought made the boy uncomfortable. He wanted to say no, but he couldn't resist the urge to keep pursuing this entity. "…That should make it just a little easier to find then, right?" Shinji said with an unsure smile.

'**Logically- **_**Hold**_**.'** The Pokémon stopped in his tracks. The aura he had been tracking had just been covered and erased. He was sensing something else now; an aura filled with trickery… no, two! Three now! Four, five… **'Shinji, get down!'**

The sound of flapping wings filled the air as a black mass swooped right over Shinji and Riolu's heads. They hit the dirt just as the swarm of Murkrow looped around and headed back down towards them. After the past few nights of being chased away from this place, the birds had decided to finally make a stand and take out anything in their way; Shinji and Riolu just happened to be in their path.

"There's too many of them!" Shinji yelled over the deafening flock. His Pokémon knew they stood no chance out here in the open, and thought up possibly the simplest plan he could:

'_**RUN!'**_

Stumbling to their feet, the two dashed back from where they came only to be cut off by the tidal wave of Murkrow. It was then Shinji realized the birds weren't trying to hurt them. No, they were toying with them! The horde began to circle around them in a loop, corralling them into a small patch of the alleyway. With stalls parallel to their position, the trainer and his Pokémon were trapped with nowhere to go.

The fighter that he was, Riolu tightened his fists and took a defensive position, ready to take on any Murkrow that may dive at him. **'Shinji! Release Skiddo! He might be weak to Flying types, but three of us have a better chance than just two!'**

"I-_I don't have him!"_ Shinji ducked as a bird made a lunge towards his head, "He's in his Pokéball back at the inn!"

'_**Why did you leave your belt?!'**_

"I sure as heck didn't plan on sleeping with it on!"

Riolu would soon regret his next words:

"How could this get any worse?"

A call, one that was deep and ended with a sharp hiss, pierced through the concerto of flapping wings surrounding Shinji and Riolu. The Murkrow instantly broke formation and landed on the tops of the stalls in rows, like soldiers before their commander. Ikari gasped as he saw the boss of the birds swoop down from the sky and land on the ground before him in a cloud of dust. It was also a Flying type, but was much larger than its minions, with a crown of feathers that resembled a fedora.

"A-A _Honchkrow?!"_ Shinji stammered as the Big Boss Pokémon cried out again in an act of intimidation. It cackled in glee as the boy jumped backwards at its shriek, much to Riolu's disdain.

'**Well, well,'** Honchkrow gloated, **'Seems humans and their slaves just can't get a point. You two should be just as easy to take out as that old geezer and his puppy dog!'**

'**Stay away from him!'** the Fighting type ordered the Honchkrow, to no avail. The bird cackled at the tiny dog's words.

'**You hear that, boys?'** Honchkrow asked his Murkrow henchmen,** 'He wants us to stay away from the boy!'** Its underlings crowed in laughter, some even mocking Riolu. Honchkrow hopped forwards so its body towered over the small dog. **'Sure, I'll leave him alone… That just means I'll get to play around with **_**you**_** instead!'**

Before Riolu had the chance to speak back, Honchkrow pulled back one of its strong wings and smacked the dog into a nearby stand. The super effective wing attack would have knocked Riolu out in one hit just like that if he hadn't used Endure at the very last second.

"Riolu!" Shinji cried out. He tried to run to his wounded Pokémon, but was stopped as a trio of Murkrow flew down and began to harass him. Shinji swatted at the birds while Honchkrow flew over to Riolu, ready to deliver the final strike. A black glow surrounded one of its wings as it prepared to deliver a critical hit Night Slash.

'**You two should've never come on my turf!'** the bird crowed, **'Time to be put down, mutt!'**

Watching helplessly as the Honchkrow prepared to strike him down, Riolu noticed something in the sky above, gliding over the light of the moon. Its white cumulonimbus like wings glistened off the lunar light as a figure stood perched on its back, holding onto the elegant creature by the reigns. The figure was female, slim with short, bobbed hair that ended just below her head and clothed in a pure white dress like that from the Kalos Victorian-era. At closer inspection, one could see that her hair color was an unnatural light blue. Her eyes were just as odd; they were crimson, like blood.

"Who is that?" Shinji asked in wonder, gazing up at the girl in the sky above. Even from such a far distance, her presence was mystifying, alien almost. Like she didn't belong in this world to begin with. He couldn't put his finger on it, but she looked oddly familiar, like he had met her before in a past life or something.

'**Impossible!'** Riolu said in disbelief, **'That intense aura… It is coming from that girl!'**

The girl stood atop her Altaria observing the scene below with an emotionless gaze. She placed one hand on her cloud dragon's head and it descended down to earth like a wind in the breeze. Riolu could feel her pure white aura dissolving that of their attackers completely, the essence of purity overcoming that of trickery and sin. The invasive Murkrow stared up at her, waiting for their head honcho to give them an order.

'**More visitors!'** Honchkrow directed his other wing to the Murkrow, giving them the signal to attack, **'Go on! Introduce yourselves to them, boys!'**

* * *

"_GAH!"_

If there was one thing Asuka hated, it was nightmares. Having them almost every other night wasn't helping her out either. She sat up in her bed in a cold sweat, rubbing her teary tired eyes. Why wouldn't they stop? Why couldn't she just forget about what happened to her? Why didn't anyone ever try to _help _her?

She looked to her side through the curtain at the mound of covers on the other side.

'_Damn you, Baka Shinji…'_

Hadn't he felt her tossing and turning in her sleep this whole time? What was taking him so long? Didn't he know anything about how the Walls of Jericho came crumbling down?

Of course he didn't. He _was_ Baka Shinji, after all. Asuka really had to remind herself next time that he couldn't take a hint for shit. But what other way was there to tell him? _Directly_ sure as hell wasn't an option; she couldn't bear to act so pathetic before him like that. Then she realized she had been given a perfect opportunity to spill her words out this very moment over his sleeping, unconscious body.

"Hey…" Asuka whispered, barely audible, "I don't know if you can hear me, but… I can't sleep very well. Bad dreams and all, you know?" She feigned a laugh, trying not to be too serious about this. "So, I'm... I wasn't serious about earlier. I don't know if you got what I meant but… I'm not _really_ looking for anything big or _grown up_ like that. Maybe we could just… _you know_…" It took all her pride to muster out the next word. "…_Cuddle_ or something. It's just…When I was little and had bad dreams, Mama would always hold me until I was all better. So… maybe if _you_ did the same thing…"

She stopped, waiting to see if Shinji had at least acknowledged her words. No movement from the other side whatsoever was her answer.

"Shinji?" Asuka pulled the curtain to the side to look at him, only to find nothing but an empty pillow. "What the hell?" She glanced around the room to see if he was messing with her, but Shinji was nowhere in sight. Her demeanor immediately went from docile to furious.

"_Why you!"_ she snarled, jumping to her feet. Wrapping a blanket around her body, she stormed out the door in search of her missing idiot. Meanwhile, she had forgotten Torchic who had slept throughout the whole ordeal, a large snot bubble moving in and out of his beak with every snore.

'**Mngh…' **the Fire type moaned in his sleep, **'No, Riolu… **_**My**_** fangirls, not yours… Stupid mutt…'**

* * *

Back outside, the flock of Murkrow began their assault against the blue haired girl, heading at her Altaria in a tidal wave of black feathers. Their battle squawks were ear splitting, and could be heard from miles away. However the girl appeared unfazed by the incoming swarm.

"What're you doing?!" Shinji tried to yell over the Murkrow at the motionless girl, "Move out of the way!" Surprisingly, she actually heard him over the roar of the flock.

"That will not be necessary," she said almost in a whisper, stroking the neck of her dragon. "Altaria, Dazzling Gleam please."

Enveloping its cloud like wings around its body, the Altaria let out a screech as it unfurled them in a flash of light. The sparking gleams hit the Murkrow head on, knocking the front lines down to the ground. Not even the reserves were safe, as the Dazzling Gleam spread hit those attempting to U-Turn back and out of the way. Unconscious Murkrow were piling in the aisle ways like leaves, much to the amazement of Shinji and Riolu. Honchkrow, on the other hand, was not so impressed.

'_**Worthless peons!' **_the Big Boss Pokémon snarled, dismissing Riolu completely and taking flight. **'Must I do everything myself?!'**

"Riolu!" Shinji ran to the hurt Fighting type, shielding him in his arms as the dust from Honchkrow's takeoff covered them. He looked up to see the big raven shooting towards the girl and Altaria, preparing to Night Slash the pair.

Showing no fear, the girl pulled a Pokeball from her side and pressed the release button. The Pokemon within was now standing by her side on Altaria, standing almost as still as her. It was a feminine looking being, with a dainty frame even slimmer than its trainer's and a blue bob almost exactly like hers. They even had the same crimson eyes; at first glance one would assume they were sisters!

"Whoa…" Shinji gasped at the girl's second Pokemon, "Is that a _shiny_ Gardevoir?!" He checked his Pokégear for data on this rare form of Gardevoir:

'_Gardevoir, the Embrace Pokémon. It has the power to predict the future. Its power peaks when it is protecting its Trainer. To do so, it will expend all its psychic power to create a small black hole.' _

"Gardevoir," she said to her elegant partner, "Thunderbolt, please."

'**Yes, my lady,'** the Psychic Fairy nodded. Raising one finger at the Honchkrow, the shiny Gardevoir closed her eyes and summoned a bolt of lightning down from the sky on the bird. That one strike was enough to send the head honcho on a downward spiral to join its lackeys in defeat.

"She took it out in one hit, just like that!" Ikari said as the girl flew her Altaria down to meet them. Delicately she climbed off the dragon's back, followed by her Gardevoir who levitated off instead. She approached Shinji, staring at him blankly for a few moments. This was obviously uncomfortable for the blushing boy: no girl, not even Asuka in her younger years, had stared at him for that long! "Uh… Thanks for helping us out, um…?"

"You look just like him," the girl interrupted. Her voice was flat, almost robotic.

"Excuse me?"

"You are Shinji Ikari," she continued, "Son of Gendo Ikari and Yui Ikari. Correct?"

"Yeah," Shinji responded, surprised at her knowledge, "Who are you, exactly?"

"I am Rei Ayanami. Private First Class of the Elite Division of Team NERV. Sent here to-"

"You're from_ NERV?!" _

Ayanami acknowledged his interruption for a mere second before continuing her sentence. "… Sent here to further protect the relic designated Artifact 316 currently in the possession of Shinji Ikari and Asuka Langely Soryu, per orders of the Supreme Commander via Professor Ritsuko Akagi."

Shinji tried to tie all of her small speech together, before reaching the simplest conclusion. "So you're my... _escort?"_

"…Correct," Rei nodded, Gardevoir now standing beside her, "Myself and my Pokémon are to accompany you in route to Hoatzin City from this moment on."

'Right to the point, I see…' Shinji thought. He didn't know what to make of this Rei; she was far from normal, but didn't seem to be any sort of threat. Still, why would NERV send someone to escort him and Asuka? Had they done something wrong? "I guess I can't say no to this?"

"…Correct."

"Man," he sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "I wonder what Asuka will think of this?"

Riolu pointed straight ahead. **'You are about to find out.'**

And there, amongst the piles of unconscious Murkrow Asuka stood, wearing nothing more than a blanket around her skimpy pajamas. She was less than pleased to see Shinji, the boy she had wanted in her time of weakness, out here in the dark with some freaky looking girl.

"A-Asuka!" he stammered in fear of her rage, "What are you doing here?!"

"I should be asking you that, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka snarled, approaching quickly and menacingly, "But more importantly…" She grabbed Ikari by the collar, pointing a finger in the newcomer Ayanami's face.

"Who _the hell_ is this?!"

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Darker Days To Come!_

_Seele Plans Their Next Attack..._


	11. Stage 11: Sin In Heaven! Seele Schemes!

**Quick release :P Enjoy!**

* * *

At the very northern tip of Avia lies the Lammergeyer Plateau. A high chunk of land that extends out to the Auk Ocean, it holds the title of being the only plateau in the world divided perfectly in two, with a large 10 mile divide between its halves. Some say this phenomenon was caused by the awakening tremors of Groudon all the way from Hoenn during ancient times, giving it the name "The Valley of Groudon". Regardless of the origin, these trapped lowlands have been the victim of vicious seasonal storms (referred to as "The Rains of Kyogre") for countless centuries and have proven to be almost uninhabitable. Not even the hardiest Pokémon dare try and call these badlands their home.

That fact alone made this the perfect location for Teem Seele to make their headquarters.

Embedded into the northern half of the plateau was a concealed entrance to a subterranean maze of rooms, factories and laboratories, where the entirety of the organization's research and troop building was conducted. Here, the EVA series drones are programmed and trained in the ways of combat to serve their sixteen (formerly seventeen) Agent Commanders, known collectively by their underlings as the Angels of Bringing Time.

Most of the Angels were quite unique individuals, with only a few being relatively normal looking. Each defined by the mask they wore to preserve ambiguity, some took their appearance to the extreme. While some like the prism-centric Ramiel donned a huge crystal blue pyramid for a mask, others like Matarael modified their own body to their liking; in his case four mechanical spider legs to further his own hand-to-hand combat capabilities.

And then there were those like Zeruel. The most massive of the Angels, he was an immovable monolithic tower of human muscle who rarely showed any sort of emotion towards his allies or his own Pokémon. In other words, exactly like the deceased Sachiel only more stoic and much, much stronger.

The giant Angel was currently waiting in the hanger bay near the very top of the plateau to address a returning member of Seele. Around him, a group of 0.5-P EVA series drones were busy moving large steel crates of weaponry about the spacious room. The least humanoid of all the units, they rolled about on four wheels acting as service drones and nothing else. Zeruel despised the models. Their creator, the scientist Angel Iruel, was meant to create war machines, not servants for physical labor. As one of the green 0.5-P units rolled past him, Zeruel reached out with a mighty hand and grabbed it by its scrawny neck.

"Useless," Zeruel said as he crushed the wriggling unit's neck, letting go once its artificial life ended, "Not even enough strength to fight back. Pathetic."

"And why is that pathetic?" A deep, rasping voice replied. Zeruel turned to the hangar opening to see a large black serpent hovering just outside. Its rider hung to one of its pronged horns by one arm, his feet planted firmly on the side of its neck. "The easier something is to murder the better, if you ask me."

"Bardiel," Zeruel stepped over the EVA unit's sparking body as the newcomer leapt down off his Rayquaza onto the hangar bay floor, "You have been gone for almost 48 hours without contact since pursuing after Sachiel. I suppose you were unable to find him."

The armored Angel snickered. _"Please,_ Zeruel. When do I ever not find my prey?"

"Then where is he? And your EVA unit squadron, for that matter?"

"I sent the drones on other business. Sachiel… _The body,_ to be more exact, was too damaged to recover."

Zeruel glared at Bardiel from behind his skull-like mask. "Was killing him necessary?"

"Was it necessary to destroy Iruel's work over there?" Bardiel responded with a snort, pointing at the dead unit, "So hypocritical, Zeruel."

Leaving the larger Angel in embarrassment, Bardiel recalled Rayquaza to its Pokéball and proceeded towards the door to the inner base. Zeruel was not done with his arrogant comrade, however.

"Then explain your complete absence of two days, Bardiel," he said, following after the armored one down the dimly lit hallway, "Since you state you are a master of the hunt, I assume Sachiel was dead by the end of day one."

"Tell me, when did _you_ become my superior?" Bardiel snarled back, the red ceiling lights shining off his armor, "I don't believe I was ever ordered by the Supreme Commander to relay every one of my actions to a lumbering _piece of shit_ like _you."_

_*WHAM!*_

Zeruel's fist was only a few seconds from colliding with Bardiel's face, the latter's hand grasped around it. For being much more lightly built than Zeruel, Bardiel was barely struggling to hold back his punch.

"I _will not_ tolerate such childish jabs," Zeruel spoke emotionlessly, "Act like the respected Angel you apparently are, Bardiel, or I will punish you severely."

"_HA!"_ Bardiel laughed in his face, "I'd like to see you fucking try! You forget I'm the one with the legendary sky dragon here!"

"You mean the_ clone_ of it," the big Agent Angel corrected, "Another one of Iruel's wasted creations. Just like your other Pokémon."

"Ooh, are you speaking rudely of me, Zeruel, _yes?"_

Zeruel and Bardiel looked into the shadows of the hallway ahead to see a small, hunched over man approaching. His mask fit in perfectly with the surrounding with its hundreds of blinking red specks over its black surface.

"Iruel!" Bardiel shoved Zeruel's fist away, spreading his arms wide, "My comrade! I must thank you once again for your assistance in Sachiel's extermination. Your _scientific expertise_ is something I'd be lost without."

"You're too kind, _yes,"_ Iruel bowed, "Much nicer than _this_ lumbering one you are with, _yes…." _

Zeruel did his best to pull his inner rage together so he wouldn't end up murdering these two conniving bastards. "Is there even a viable reason as to why you both wanted Sachiel out of the picture?"

"Yes," Bardiel answered, "But like I said, I don't have to answer to the likes of you. Unless you've forgotten that already, with that miniscule brain of yours."

"_Enough!"_ Zeruel quickly snapped, tired of the intentional instigation, "During this pointless argument with you, I seemed to have forgotten to tell you just why I was waiting for you in the first place."

"You had a reason? I thought you were just staring outside like the waste of life you are."

"…There is a meeting commencing in a matter of hours. The rest of the Agents proposed to postpone it until you returned from your hunt. I expect you to be there."

"In Central Dogma, I presume?"

"Yes," Zeruel started to leave Bardiel and Iruel in the darkness, "And if I see either of you any time before that, I will _slaughter_ you like vermin."

Iruel cackled to himself as the giant Angel vanished down the hall. "We should kill him next, _yes?"_

"Already planned on it," Bardiel grunted, "Now, time to go to the lab. We have much to discuss about _our research."_

* * *

"Tear him apart, Ariados!"

The Seele base was full of training cages, where Angels and EVA units alike honed their Pokémon for battle. These fights were usually very grim, with fatalities on frequent occasion. Currently the largest of the rings was being used by two Angels, settling a dispute with violence. One of them was Matarael, whose spider Pokémon Ariados and Galvantula were pitted against the snake lover Shamshel's Arbok and Seviper who were at a disadvantage. Their long, slithering bodies had been trapped underneath the Bug type's Sticky and Electro webs, and were struggling to strike back at their attackers.

"_Move,_ my serpents!" Shamshel yelled, to no avail as Araiados and Galvantula ran circles around his snakes, _"Do not_ fail me!"

"Won't you just admit defeat?" Matarael pointed at his adversary with one of his mechanical spider leg appendages, "My arachnids are much more adept than your legless lizards!"

Watching helplessly as his opponent's Galvantula discharged all of its electrical power onto his snakes, Shamshel hesitantly reached into his long purple cloak for Arbok and Seviper's Pokéballs. His fighters returned, he pulled his cobra like hood over his ruby red mask in shame. "Damn you, Matarael... Next time you will not be so lucky."

"A next time?" the spider obsessed Angel let out a laugh, "Who ever said you would have _redemption?"_

"The rules of honor do," someone called from afar. Matarael and Shamshel looked to the bleachers surrounding the arena cage and saw two fellow Angels, one standing and one reclined back on a seat. The upright one wore a mask similar to Matarael, with one cryptic eye in the center; the only difference between the two was that this Angel's had a pulsating rainbow pattern on his. His entourage on the other hand had perhaps the most unique mask of all the Angels, resembling that of the ancient sea creature known as Anomalocaris, from which the Pokemon Armaldo evolved from.

"How long have you two been watching, Sahaquiel?" Shamshel asked the bright orange Angel.

"Long enough to see you get beat down," the laid back Sandalphon answered instead, "At least we now know just how useless you and your snakes are."

"We are not here to take jabs," Sahaquiel scolded the younger Angel, who sat up with a grunt, "Bardiel has returned."

Matarael shrugged with his arachnid limbs. "And _why_ should I care?"

"Because Sachiel _is dead."_

That caught Matarael attention. "He _killed_ him?"

"Should've figured," Shamshel shook his hooded head in frustration, "Bardiel isn't the _Angel of Death_ for nothing."

"Remember what he did to Tunniel?" Sandalphon piped up, reminding them of their former skeletal comrade, "Poor bastard didn't even stand a chance."

"Yeah, but he deserved that for getting captured by NERV and spilling his guts out," Matarael spat, "Sachiel though… Damn. Never thought he'd bite it."

Sahaquiel folded his arms. "That is the ruthlessness of Bardiel. It is only a matter of time before he completely rebels against all of us."

"You think he'll actually try to kill the rest of us?"

"Possibly, Sandalphon. All except for Iruel. Those two are up to something other than the goals of Seele. Their misguided priorities could possibly skewer the path to our victory."

Matarael scratched his Ariados and Galvantula on the head before recalling them. "So you came all the way down here to tell us that?"

"I come with a proposition," Sahaquiel said, "One that can assure Seele will carry on, even if Bardiel and Iruel ruin things. All you and Shamshel must do is stay loyal to me and each other above all else. Sandalphon here has already agreed to these terms. We four shall preserve the righteousness of Seele through whatever troubles we shall encounter, and bring forth a new tomorrow in the name of Arceus."

"I hope you don't expect me to serve under you, Sahaquiel," Matarael hissed, "Because I'm out if you do."

"Same here," Shamshel added, "I hate Bardiel as much as the rest of you, but I'd hate working underneath you even more."

"We are equals, brothers," Sahaquiel assured, arms spread wide, "Know that we four shall be the core of Seele's grand success, whenever that near day shall arrive. From now on, we shall be known as… the _Four-Bringers_ of Tomorrow."

One could almost hear Kricketots chirping from miles away in the awkward silence that followed.

"Yeah," Sandalphon sighed, lying back down, "NERV is going to take us _sooo_ seriously now…"

Unbeknownst to these four, there was another Angel watching from high up above their heads. Sitting on the very edge of a rafter, the young man smirked as Matarael and Shamshel berated Sahaquiel for his terrible pun.

"How amusing, they are down there," he smiled, brushing his fingers through his grey hair, "It's a shame they won't matter in the outcome of things…" Having seen what he wanted, the young man skillfully balanced his way over the rafter and into the darkness of the hall, humming the Ode to Joy to himself as he vanished from sight.

* * *

There were few places where Angels dare not tread in this world; Iruel's lab was one of them. A menagerie of scientific horror, the Angel of Science had concocted a room of nightmares in which bloody operating tables and corpses of human and Pokemon alike were common sights, as were weapon schematics and mechanized parts of EVA series he had either scrapped or destroyed. Only Bardiel had the will to enter this hell, for this was the place he could technically call his home. The armored Angel was seated on a table as Iruel made a routine check of his cyber-organic parts.

"Your Magnum Blade is bloody, _yes,"_ the twisted scientist said as he finished sharpening Bardiel's killing tool, "It'll rust if you don't clean it any better, _yes."_

"Spare me," Bardiel retracted the blade into his arm, standing up and off the table, "I didn't come here for you to tell me how to stay spotless."

"Other than that, you look in pristine shape, _yes,"_ Iruel clapped his hands together, "And I know just why you're here, _yes._ Come quickly, _yes."_

The hunched Angel scurried towards the back of the lab to a tall door in the wall, entering a code and opening it for Bardiel. Bardiel walked through and into a dimly lit room, with an elevated operating table in its center. Taking a step forward, he almost crushed the rotting body of a Ratatta underneath his foot.

"And you tell _me_ to clean up," he mumbled, kicking the body across the room as he approached the center table. Strapped to it was what appeared to be a white copy of Bardiel's body, only this one had a most unusual fish-lipped face. "So this is the progress on the EVA H-Series."

"You like it, _yes?"_ Iruel asked anxiously, "I have yet to implement the wings to its back, but other than that this one is ready for activation, _yes."_

"Excellent," Bardiel looked to the glass wall directly behind the table. Held by bonds within were four EVA units exactly like the one before him, but wingless, "I suggest adding wings to the Demon series as well. There's no need to ground the first born when their Harpy brethren are flying above."

Iruel nodded. "I'll get to it once I finish construction on the remaining four, _yes."_

"Don't be too secretive about it," Bardiel ordered, "The longer you are in this lab, the more the other Angels will suspect of you. Continue working on other projects and presenting them to the Supreme Commander so it looks like you're accomplishing things."

In silent agreement, Iruel turned to the EVA-H series on his work table as Bardiel reluctantly left for the meeting in Central Dogma. The discussions were pointless to him, as Seele's trivial matters meant nothing to him. All that Seele was to him was an organization destined to fall like Team Rocket and all its knockoffs that followed. What the world needed was not a dominating party, but one man that held full power over his subordinates: A literal _God._

And that God was going to be _him._

* * *

"HAS EVERYONE ARRIVED?"

The robotic voice echoed throughout the entirety of Central Dogma, a large black room whose roof extended up into figurative space. A large red light glowed on the floor like a volcanic crater straight to Hell. Seventeen podiums were arranged in a circle at its center, with all but two occupied by an Angel. The masked Agents stood quietly, waiting for another to account for the missing member.

"Iruel will not be joining us," Bardiel replied, "He is caught up in his work at the moment, and wished to be omitted from here today."

"THEN LET THE MEETING COMMENCE."

Once the computer screen returned to its normal red color, the Angel named Israfel stepped forward to center floor holding a holographic clipboard. His half orange-half silver body looked quite bizarre lit from below.

"For those of you who do not yet know," Israfel stated formally, adjusting his mask, "It was reported to me that our former comrade Sachiel was executed during the hunt for him conducted by Bardiel for resisting capture and retaliation…"

"So they say…" Matarael muttered to himself in disgust.

"…Currently there are no plans to replace his position as the 3rd Angel. The Supreme Commander instead informed me that we shall double our efforts to retrieve Artifact 316 from NERV…"

"More than we already have?" the black and white Leliel interrupted with her surprisingly deep voice, "We have already planned to mobilize our EVA forces by the end of the week. Is that not yet enough?"

"_How_ _dare_ you question the Supreme Commander's decision!" Sahaquiel cried in outrage, "His orders are final and absolute!"

Beside the overly loyal Angel was Gaghiel, the Angel of the Sea. He was glad his shark-like mask was so large, for it muffled the sound of Sahaquiel's shrill voice. "Good job, Leliel. You pissed him off."

"This is ridiculous," Zeruel's booming voice silenced the bickering, "Whatever the Supreme Commander wishes, it shall be done. _Without question."_

Seeing his chance to seize control, Bardiel pointed a crooked finger at the large Angel. "For once, I agree with this man. We are the Angels of Bringing Time; we should not be squabbling amongst ourselves like children. Instead, we should be striking down our opposition with the upmost brutality. _No mercy_ shall be shown for those who resist the coming of tomorrow."

"Well said, Bardiel."

The armored Angel shook his head in amusement at the woman's voice. He glared at her, his eyes burning through her mask that donned the logo of Seele. "I was wondering when you would speak up, _Lilith."_

As the only female Angel aside from Leliel, Lilith usually only spoke when she had something to say. It wasn't that she was intimidated by the men; as the Ranking Captain over the rest of the Angels, she had to hold some sense of authority and not get involved in her underling's schemes. "I just couldn't help but be moved by your loyalty, even if you're _lying through your teeth."_

Beside Lilith stood Adam, her advisor and personal spy. His arms were folded across his chest, chuckling at Lilith's perfect observation behind his embryonic face-like mask. "She's got you there, friend. Everything you say is to be taken with a grain of salt."

"_Of course_ you doubt me. You're no different than everyone else here. Just because I've killed two of our former comrades, you all feel the need to exorcise me from the pack. Sachiel and Tunniel were incompetent fools who _deserved_ to die. If my hand in their death troubles you all so much, I'll just prove my loyalty for Seele to you all."

"And how will you do that?" Lilith asked almost as if she didn't care to hear the answer.

"_I_ will lead the next assault for the artifact," Bardiel declared, "Give me _full reign_ over the operation, and victory shall be ours."

"That's a pretty cocky thing to say," Adam said like he was talking to a child, "You think you can handle all that, sport?"

"I've killed two of our own. I can _easily_ kill any NERV regiment trying to escort the artifact to safety."

After a brief pause of contemplation, Lilith nodded. "Then it's settled. Bardiel shall be placed in command for the raid we shall conduct in five days. In case of failure, Adam and I will be a part of this mission to _ensure_ victory. Any of you who wish to be a part of this may step forward."

Not wishing to be left out of the spotlight, Sahaquiel, Sandalphon Matarael and Shamshel exited their podiums. "We all wish to accompany Bardiel," the first Angel spoke for his secret alliance, "To be hiding within our base's walls on the day of total victory would be an act of cowardice."

"As will I," Zeruel announced. There was no way he was going to let that bastard Bardiel steal the glory from him and in turn become the Supreme Commander's new favorite. "Brute force will be required."

"Excellent," Bardiel grinned, the red teeth of his mask showing, "Now please, if all of you could leave me for some time. I can't strategize with comrades watching."

The Angels silently departed the room, some more urgently than others. Those against Bardiel had their own schemes to develop. The last Angel to leave the room was the grey haired boy, who had been oddly silent during the meeting. He gave Bardiel an over the shoulder smirk.

"See you soon… Master."

As the door closed, the armored Angel snapped his fingers. Out from the shadows came a young man, who looked exactly like the one who just left the room, down to his red eyes and every fiber of hair on his head.

"That was a clever tactic," the boy said, his hands in his pockets, "I'm surprised it actually worked out. I'll have to award Zoroark for a job well done."

"You're precious illusionist can wait," Bardiel looked down on the boy, who returned his gaze with an ethereal smile, "We have much to discuss." The black Angel turned to the computer screen. "Bring up the images taken from Sachiel's mask."

"YES, BARDIEL. RETRIVING IMAGES."

The large screen suddenly began to flood with images, all of them of the skirmish in Merganser Town. Random shots of the NERV agents, a Dragonite in battle against Sachiel's Tyranitar, and terrified citizens flashed before Bardiel and the boy's eyes. The final image was of a brown haired boy and his Riolu, who were celebrating after his first victory in battle.

"That is your target," Bardiel ordered, "His name is _Shinji Ikari._ He is accompanied by a red haired girl and a NERV agent. Asuka Langley Soryu and Rei Ayanami, respectively."

"And may I ask of how you know that information?" the 17th Angel asked jokingly.

"I have my ways. Now, I need you to find him before the initial stages of the operation begin. Get him to trust you, become his 'friend'. Once that has been done, I will arrive to finish the operation."

"And the other Angels?"

"Are nothing more than fodder. No need to acknowledge their existence. Do you think you are capable of this operation, Tabris?"

The Angel looked up to the screen at the image of the boy and his Riolu, both laughing and happy. "Do not worry, Bardiel. Shinji Ikari will be freed from his burden, as will the rest of the world in due time."

"Excellent. You're dismissed. Don't be seen until Zoroark is back in your possession."

"Will do," the boy started to leave, before stopping at the door. "Oh, and one thing, sir."

"Yes?"

"Please… Call me _Kaworu."_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Back To Our Heroes!_

_Shinji, Asuka... and Rei, Oh My!_


	12. Stage 12: Winding Woods 1 - Lost

**In case you haven't noticed by the 1 in the title, this chapter will be the first of a multi-chapter mini arc. Some big things are going to be happening soon...**

**Don't forget to review! I lieks Mudkipz - I mean, reviewz :P**

* * *

The road to Hoatzin City from Rhea Village is one of the most intricate paths in all of Avia. The dirt trails of Route 95 twist and turn through the region's largest deciduous forests, which lie smack in the center of Avia. Tributaries and streams run amongst the trees on their way towards Lake Hoatzin, and transport rich nutrients from the lush woods to the sparkling body of water that is home to one of the biggest port cities in the entire world. The seemingly endless expanse of trees has claimed many a trainer's will, and many have entered the forest never to be seen again.

And now it was eager to take three more as its own.

"You're gonna hate me saying this, Asuka…"

Standing on a small wooden bridge over a forest stream, Shinji turned off the holographic map of his Pokégear and braced himself for Soryu's rage. The girl was leaning on the railing behind him, an annoyed look on her face as she looked out down into the stream below. She had let her Magikarp out of its Pokéball for once, allowing it to flail about in the shallow water.

"I know that we're lost, you idiot!" Asuka spat, her sudden change of tone scaring a flock of Starly in the canopy above, "I could've told you that two hours ago!"

"Why didn't you then?!" Ikari threw his arms in the air in frustration.

"Because I made the horrible mistake in putting some faith in your directional skills, which you apparently lacked to begin with! Besides, I at least thought _Wonder Girl_ over there might try to be of some help, but _NOOO,_ she's too good to help us _poor rookies!"_

Shinji looked at Rei Ayanami, the so-called 'Wonder Girl' as Asuka called her, standing at the edge of the bridge behind them, hands at her side and completely still. Her red eyes met his as he glanced at her, and Shinji couldn't help but feel off put by her otherworldliness. Ever since he had met the NERV agent last night, she had been the subject of his wonderings ever since. She didn't even seem human to him; when he had asked her to stay in the motel room with him and Asuka (much to the latter's distaste), she had refused with a simple 'no' and slept outside in the cold. Assuming she even slept, that is.

"Come on, Asuka," Shinji whispered, cupping his mouth with his hand so Rei couldn't hear, "I know she hasn't really done anything, but just be nice to her at least."

"_Hmph!"_ the redhead turned her back to him again, "Look at you, defending her like that. She saves you and Riolu's asses from some birds and now you treat her like she's your best friend!"

"I'm just being nice! Is there anything wrong with that?"

'_Yes, there is,'_ is what Asuka wanted to say. She glared at Ayanami from the corner of her eye. What did this girl think she was doing showing up out of nowhere like that and just tagging herself along?! Asuka didn't care if NERV issued her to accompany them; this was supposed to be her and Shinji's journey. Having another girl around would only muff up Ikari's attention span even more. But there was no way Asuka could tell him that she wanted it all focused on her. All she could do was bottle it up and vent it out on Rei. "…Just forget it. Let's get Torchic and Riolu and keep moving. I don't want to spend the night in these woods."

"…I thought _you_ knew where they were."

Asuka's eyes widened. _"You_ were supposed to watch them, not me!"

"I was looking at the map the whole time!" Shinji yelled in defense.

"_God-dammit, Shinji!"_ Soryu gripped Shinji by his shoulders, shaking him like a rag doll, "You had one job! _One simple job!_ Now our Pokémon are lost in the woods!"

Shoving Shinji away, Asuka went into panic mode. "Oh, God… My Torchic's all alone out in those woods! I can't bear to have that stupid fish as my only Pokémon! _I'd rather die!"_

'**KARP!'**

"Don't worry," Shinji said, brushing the dirt off his pants, "We can find them. I'll send Skiddo to go sniff them out and…"

"That will not be necessary."

Shinji and Asuka were surprised to hear the quiet voice of Rei intervene. The blue haired girl pulled a Pokéball from her waist and released her Gardevoir, which gave off a small sparkling gleam as it emerged. With a nod from her trainer, the Psychic/Fairy teleported right in front of Shinji and placed one of its hands on his forehead, eyes closed in concentration.

"Wh -What's she doing?" Shinji asked nervously.

"By sensing your bond with Riolu," Ayanami explained, "Gardevoir can connect your emotions to his and trace the path he followed. The same applies to Asuka and Torchic."

As Soryu prepared to retort, Gardevoir appeared instantly before her now, searching through her emotions for Torchic. The elegant Pokémon suddenly opened her eyes and turned her head towards the woods on the opposite end of the bridge.

'**That way, my lady,'** Gardevoir said to her trainer, **'They seem to be in no harm.'**

"Thank you," Rei replied quietly, "Please lead the way."

Asuka yawned sarcastically as Ayanami walked by her. "Very impressive, _Wonder Girl_. Saving the day, once again…" Noticing Shinji looking at the pale girl in awe, she felt the need to bring his attention back to her. "_Come on, Baka-Shinji!_ We don't have all day!"

Ikari sighed, picking up his bag. He could feel the heavy artifact within pulling down on his back, and remembered that he wanted to ask Ayanami about it. He figured she wouldn't tell him anything, but there was no harm in trying to get some info on what exactly he was transporting. Seeing Asuka heading on without him, Shinji picked up the pace to catch up as they went into the woods to find their missing Pokémon, who he figured must be worried sick being all alone…

* * *

'**Dude, I'm just gonna say it: **_**Gardevoir's hot.'**_

Sitting on the edge of a large mossy rock in a sunlit clearing, Riolu face palmed at Torchic's words. Ever since they had wandered off away from their trainers into the woods to explore, the Fighting type had been enduring the constant gushing his friend was spewing out about the NERV agent's shiny companion.

'**You did not need to say anything,'** Riolu groaned, **'You have only alluded to that point for the past fifteen minutes.'**

'**Tell me I'm wrong then,'** Torchic ordered, **'Oh wait, you can't. Because I'm **_**soo**_** right! I mean, just look at her! So elegant, so graceful… and that body! What a figure!'**

'**I assume you favor **_**toothpicks**_** then,'** the hound snorted, much to the bird's dissatisfaction.

'**Dude, you wouldn't know a real woman if one Comet Punched you in the face! How can you not see what I see?!'**

'**Well she's at least twenty levels higher than myself. Bonds should be made between those of a similar level, and no more than five apart.'**

Torchic laughed at his modest companion. **'Man, you're so stuck up! Just you watch, when I finally turn into a Blaziken, that Gardevoir is gonna be swept off her feet by my **_**badass**_** skills!'**

Sighing, Riolu jumped down off the rock. He couldn't take another second of the bird's rambling. **'Come on. We should probably go find Shinji and Asuka. They are most likely worried about us.'**

'**Excuses, excuses,'** Torchic shook his head, **'You couldn't be any more passive aggressive, could ya?'** Trying to outdo the hound, Torchic took a couple steps back before leaping off the rock and rolling forward in a flip like motion.

_*WHUD!*_

Riolu lifted an eyebrow at his friend, whose beak was stuck in the ground. **'Was that supposed to impress me?'**

'_**Shut up!'**_ the Fire type spat a wad of mud from his mouth, making sure to swallow the worm that had come up with it. **'I don't think you could have done any… **_**better…'**_

The bird froze up as a shadow drifted over him and Riolu. The latter noticed the change in light and looked behind him to see a face he did not recognize. The person, a boy younger than Shinji, was grinning with a Pokéball in his hand. **'Who…?'**

"Sweet!" the boy exclaimed gleefully, "I never thought I'd find wild Pokémon as rare as you two!"

'**No, no, no, no!'** Torchic laughed nervously, flapping his wings in protest, **'You got it all wrong, see! We're just, **_**you know,**_** lost! That's all!'**

Obviously the boy didn't understand a word he chirped. "I'm gonna catch you and name you Mr. Flappy! Now get 'em, Rhyhorn!" He jumped back, tossing his Pokéball into the air. Out from it came a large, rocky dinosaurian Pokémon that dwarfed Torchic and Riolu. "Horn attack!"

'_**JUMP!'**_ Riolu shouted to Torchic, both of them narrowly dodging the Rhyhorn's charge. The rocky quadruped collided with the giant mossy rock, the force of its charge cracking the stone straight up the middle. Riolu skidded across the ground in a battle position, fists ready to strike.

"Try again, Rhyhorn!" the kid shouted, "We can't let 'em get away!"

The Rhyhorn scratched its foot across the ground, ready to charge again. Riolu knew that he couldn't hold this beefy Pokemon back with his strength alone; if he tried to attack it head on he would surely take much more damage than it would. Torchic wouldn't be much help either, being incredibly weak against the Rhyhorn's typing. Remembering the Endure-Counter strategy he had used in his first battle with Shinji, Riolu braced himself for the impact as the Rhyhorn thundered across the dirt…

"_STOP!"_

The familiar voice was a godsend for Riolu. The Fighting type grinned from ear to ear when he saw his trainer come into view alongside Torchic's crush. "Shinji! You found us!"

"What's going on here?" Ikari asked, looking around curiously at the scene, "Are you hurt?"

"Wait a minute!" the boy shouted at Shinji. His Rhyhorn slid to a halt mid charge, stopping only a mere foot away from Riolu. "Who the heck are you?!"

"That's what we should be asking you!" a voice from behind Shinji corrected. Asuka stood firmly beside her companion with arms folded, looking at the boy intimidatingly. Standing behind her almost unnoticeably was Ayanami with her Gardevoir, the same unemotional expression on her face. "You're the one trying to capture _our _Pokémon, after all!"

"These are _your _Pokémon?" The boy titled his head in confusion, "Then why are the all the way out here alone?" Before Asuka could answer, Ayanami moved in front of her and spoke instead, much to the redhead's agitation.

"They were separated from their trainers," Rei explained, sounding as if she was reciting some preprogrammed answer, "You merely found them before they did. Therefore, you are forbidden from capturing them as your own."

"Like he already doesn't know that, Wonder Girl…" Asuka muttered with a snort.

"Oh, jeez," the boy sagged, rubbing his neck in embarrassment, "I'm real sorry about this you guys. I didn't mean to try and steal them from you."

"It's all right," Shinji smiled as he knelt down and pet Riolu's head, "You're probably not the first to make that mistake. What's your name?"

"It's Keigo, but you can just call me Little K. This here's my Rhyhorn. He might look mean, but he's actually pretty gentle." As the boy said that, the Pokemon in question was gently poking at a flower on the ground with his horn.

"More like dumb," Asuka picked Torchic up off the ground, "Rhyhorn have some of the smallest brains of any Pokémon. He's just too dense to even realize he should _eat_ the flower."

Little K didn't take the insult too lightly. "Don't make fun of Rhyorn! What did he ever do to you?"

"Yeah, Asuka," Shinji added, putting a hand on her shoulder, "You don't have to be mean to the kid. He made a mistake, that's all."

"Get your hand off me!" Asuka shouted, jerking her shoulder away from him, "If the kid can't take the truth, that's his problem."

"Rhyhorn's not dumb!" Little K shouted, his temper brewing, "And I'll prove it to you!"

"Ha! And how are you going to do that?"

"Battle me!"

Asuka blinked, surprised that the kid dared challenge someone far out of his league. "_You_ want to battle _me?_ Is that some kind of joke?"

"What are ya, scared?" Little K snickered, "Afraid you can't beat a little kid like me?"

"_N-No!"_ Asuka stuttered, letting Torchic jump out her arms, "I'll wipe the floor with you, you little snot!"

It seemed everyone else other than Asuka realized that she was being overly arrogant, even her own Torchic. _**'Uh…'**_ the bird looked up at his trainer with a face of pure puzzlement, **'Are you sure about this?'**

"Maybe you should pass this one up, Asuka," Shinji suggested, "I don't think Torchic can even compete against that Rhyhorn."

"He is correct," Ayanami added, "Rhyhorn holds perfect type advantage over Torchic. Chances of you succeeding are slim."

"Don't tell me the odds, Wonder Girl!" Asuka growled, "The same goes to you, Baka Shinji! Torchic's the best Pokémon here! There's _no way_ he can lose!"

"Think it through Asuka!" Ikari pleaded; while he didn't want to see Torchic get flattened, he couldn't bear to see Asuka be completely embarrassed and one upped by a little kid. The aftermath of that would not be pretty, and the rage to follow might just get him killed.

"I already have!" Asuka pounded her fist in her hand, "I'll take you down, kid! One on one, no backing down!"

"Alright!" Little K was pumped; he hadn't had a trainer battle in a long while, and a win against someone older than him was sure to get some attention from his friends back home. "Let's do it then! Get 'em, Rhyhorn!"

And with that, the battle began. Once again Rhyhorn went into charge mode with a one way collision with Torchic. The stout Rock type shook the ground with every heavy step as it inched closer and closer towards the bird. Asuka waited for the last moment before giving the command to dodge.

"Jump, Torchic! Then hit it with an Ember!"

'**Whoa!'** Torchic made a hard dodge to the left as he shot a small flame from his beak. His eyes widened as the Ember quickly died out once it contacted Rhyhorn's stone hide. **'I knew this was a bad idea!'**

"Damn it!" Asuka growled. It was even less effective than she thought it would be! Now was a good time to implement Plan B. "Keep running, Torchic! Build up Speed so it won't be able to hit you!"

Little K smirked; there was no way he'd let her pull off that strategy. "Now, Rhyhorn! Rock Tomb! Trap that chicken!"

Lowering its head, Rhyhorn shoved its short horn into the ground and moved it about, watching Torchic carefully. As the bird leapt over a log in its dash, it quickly flung his dirt covered skull from the earth, sending a trio of medium sized rocks straight towards its opponent. By the time Torchic noticed the stones hurdling right at him, it was too late.

_*WHAM!*_

"_Torchic!"_ Asuka shouted in worry. Her spirits dropped even further when she saw her cherished Pokémon trapped in between a pyramid of rocks, unable to move. _"Hurry! Get out of there!"_

Shinji appeared almost as worried as his friend. "Come on, Torchic…"

"It is over."

"Wha-?" Ikari gave Rei a look of complete disbelief. How could she say something like that? "The battle's not over yet, Rei. He could still-"

"The chances of the Torchic winning are the same as before," Ayanami replied coldly, "There is nothing he can do to succeed."

There was nothing Shinji could say to prove her wrong. Swallowing, he looked at Asuka from the corner of his vision. She was biting her lip, and he swore that her eyes were watering. He'd never seen her like this before, and he had to quickly avert his gaze to avoid seeing her face like that anymore. _'I knew this would happen, and she had to have, too. Why would she put herself through this?'_

"We got this, Rhyhorn!" Little K pumped his fist, "Finish it off with a Horn Attack!"

'_**Ungh…'**_ Torchic moaned, his body completely stuck within the Rock Tomb as Rhyhorn closed in, **'This really hurts… I can't even move…'**

'**You must try, Torchic!'** Riolu communicated, **'Asuka is counting on you!'**

'**I am trying! I can't – **_**UGH!'**_

The force from the Horn Attack broke the Rock Tomb and sent Torchic flying into a nearby tree. Wood cracked as a flurry of leaves fell down from the canopy above. Asuka's eyes were wide in disbelief. _'This isn't happening! I - I can't be losing! Not now! Not so soon!'_

"T-Torchic?" her voice cracked as she called to her Pokemon. Never before had Shinji heard her sound so tiny, so afraid. It was so unnatural. So _wrong._ She took a step in the tree's direction, hand outstretched towards the bird. "Are… Are you okay? _Torchic?"_

_*THUD!*_

The Fire type's unconscious body landed on the ground, beak first in the dirt. Frozen in shock, Asuka stood stone still for a moment's notice before rushing over to her Pokemon, scooping it up and cradling it in her arms. It happened so quickly. She'd just been rolled up and put away, just like that. She had _lost_. "No… This can't be real…"

"Asuka…" Shinji started to say, before realizing that it may be best not to say anything at all. Beside him Riolu sighed and bowed his head; seeing his hyper active arrogant friend in a position like this was a surreal shock to his system. Showing no sign of sympathy, Ayanami stood blankly while her Gardevoir followed suit with Riolu and bowed her head.

Just as Little K was about to celebrate, he noticed that his opponent didn't look too hot. "Hey," he said, returning Rhyhorn to its Pokéball, "Are you okay? Haven't you lost before?"

The redhead didn't respond, only tightening her grip on Torchic in anger.

"Just let her be, Keigo," Shinji cautioned, watching his words, "She needs to take this in slowly."

"Look," Little K continued, foolishly ignoring Ikari's warning, "It's okay. Everybody loses. No need to be upset about it-"

"_SHUT UP!"_

Asuka's voice echoed through the trees for miles. She stood there shaking in rage, cradling Torchic to her chest. She wanted to hurt that kid, get her revenge for beating her. She wanted to hurt Wonder Girl, for being nothing more than a walking computer. And she wanted to hurt Shinji most of all, for not cheering her on, for not giving her some kind of hope in this battle. But she couldn't hurt anyone. This battle proved it:

She was_ weak._

"Asuka!" Shinji yelled as his friend suddenly broke into a sprint and raced into the woods, holding her Pokémon tight, "Wait! Where are you going?! _Asuka!"_ He took a few steps before stopping; she was too fast for him to catch up to. It was probably best to leave her alone right now anyways.

"This is all my fault," Little K frowned, lowering his face in shame, "You guys probably hate me now…"

"We don't hate you," Shinji sighed, "Asuka's just not used to losing. It's something she's never been good with." He gave a small smile to Keigo, "It was nice to meet you though. Sorry it had to end up like this, though."

Little K smiled back. "No problem… Hope we meet up again someday…"

With a wave goodbye, Shinji and Rei watched the young boy walk off into the woods. "I can't believe he beat Asuka…" Ikari mused sadly. Rei looked at him confusingly.

"Why not?"

"Huh?" he raised an eyebrow at the NERV agent.

"Why can you not comprehend the outcome? The odds were clearly not in her favor. Loss was inevitable."

"It's just… Asuka's such a strong girl. I never imagined her first loss to be to some little kid. I always thought she'd lose to someone like a Champion."

"And why is that?"

"Because she's just as strong as one. Her Pokemon might not be evolved and battle hardened, but her spirit is more powerful than any Pokemon could ever imagine to be. It's always been like that, even since we were little. I guess it has a lot to do with her mom not being around…"

"Her mother was absent?" Rei was almost surprised at herself; she had never been inquisitive about anything before, only listening to orders from the Commander and carrying them out. Performing extra actions such as this were unthinkable, but she couldn't help her newfound curiosity with this Ikari child and his friend.

Shinji looked at his feet. This wasn't something he liked to talk about, especially with Asuka not knowing. But Ayanami was acting like a normal human for the first time since he met her, and he liked her like this a lot more than her usual self. _'What Asuka doesn't know won't hurt her, I guess…'_

"…I don't usually tell anyone this," Ikari said, sitting down on a log. He gestured for Rei to sit down beside him, which she did. Riolu and Gardevoir sat down beside him as well, equally curious. "You have to promise not to tell Asuka I said anything to you about this. Promise?"

"If I'm ordered to, I will."

"I'll take that as a yes," Shinji took a deep breath. This was always a hard thing to talk about. "Alright… Here we go…"

* * *

"_Dammit all…"_

Stopping at the edge of a small pond in the middle of the forest to heal Torchic, Asuka was curled up on her knees, holding her body with her arms and whimpering softly. Her Pokemon was sleeping soundly beside her, regaining his energy slowly but surely. She couldn't even bear to look at him; she had failed him. Not even able to beat a little kid in a battle… She was pathetic.

"_Dammit!"_ Asuka pounded the dirt with her fist, a tear dripping down from her face. The little makeup she had applied this morning was running down from her eyes like black blood. Crawling over to the lake, she splashed water on her face to wash the stains away. She stared into her rippled reflection in the liquid, her bloodshot eyes staring back at her.

'_Look at you,'_ her mirror image said with venom,_ 'Bawling your eyes out because you lost a stupid battle. Get over it, you wimp.'_

"I'm… I'm not a wimp."

'_You sure about that? If only you could see yourself now.'_

"But I am! You should be crying too! Why aren't you crying?!"

'_Because I'm the strong one. I'm what you want to be…' _The image morphed before Asuka's eyes into a face she had only seen in her dreams for years. The older woman's smiling face warmed her heart, her fears beginning to melt away. _'Please, be like me Asuka. Don't let me down. Be strong for me.'_

Asuka reached out her hand to grab the image, only for it to disappear with the rippling water. Just seeing her face was enough to lift her up. Her spirits were still broken, but now Asuka had the strength to put them back together. _'Thank you, Mama…'_

Turning her thoughts to Torchic, she crawled over to the sleeping bird and placed a gentle hand on his head, stroking his feathers. "Don't worry, Torchic. We're gonna get so much stronger now. We'll never lose again…" She sniffed, placing a gentle kiss on his feathered head.

"Because you're going to _evolve."_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Asuka's Muse!_

_The Story of Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu!_


	13. Stage 13: Winding Woods 2 - The Reason

**In case some of you haven't noticed the story description, I've added a small prequel to Stage 1 that you really don't want to miss out on reading. Lots of foreshadowing in it ;)**

**Reviews are still much appreciated!**

* * *

"Her name was Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu."

The faint rumbling of thunder in the distance acted as a dark overtone to the story Shinji was about to tell Ayanami. The air had cooled considerably as a faint mist fell from above, further increasing the somber ambiance. While this seemingly too appropriate atmosphere gave Ikari the creeps, Rei seemed unfazed. She was focused solely on him, a one track mind.

"Is something wrong?" the girl asked as he paused, her red eyes looking at him expectantly. She couldn't seem to comprehend his hesitant attitude towards the subject, unlike Riolu. The small hound placed a paw on his trainer's arm, feeling his shaky aura.

'**If you feel uncomfortable about this,'** Riolu said comfortingly, **'You do not have to go any further. Ayanami should understand'**

'_No,'_ Shinji answered, _'I… I'll be fine. I can do it.'_

Shifting into a comfortable position on the log, Shinji let out a big sigh as he rubbed his head. Why did this bother him so much? Kyoko wasn't _his_ mother; was it because this made _Asuka_ sad? Either way, he was going to tell the story. He had to make some kind of bond with Ayanami, after all. _'Now or never…'_

"She… _Kyoko_, I mean, was good friends with my mother before I was even born. Almost everything I know about her was from what my mom told me. They went on adventures when they were younger, taking trips around the globe to all the regions until they met our fathers and ended up having us. They settled down then here in Avia, and stayed here as they raised me and Asuka. She was there for my mom when Dad left. I don't really remember it that well because I was only three, but the only time I ever saw Mom happy was when she was with Kyoko. Kyoko was the best help she could have had; she had dealt with Asuka's father leaving her and knew just how to comfort her."

'_His father,'_ Ayanami pondered for a moment if she should tell Shinji about his whereabouts, _'…No. I must not tell him that; he didn't order me to do that. But why do I feel compelled to do so?'_

"Ikari…" she started to say, before quickly changing her mind. Shinji blinked once, waiting for her to finish.

"What is it, Rei?"

"…Nothing," the girl looked away, the faintest blush on her cheeks, "Please continue."

"Um, okay," Shinji took a moment to remember where he left off, "Anyways, from what I remember Kyoko was just full of life. Always smiling, always laughing. She was just a joy to be around. Its hard to believe Asuka was almost just like her back then."

'**Really?'** Riolu was flabbergasted by this claim, **'I would have never imagined…'**

Shinji chuckled to himself, memories of good times coming back to him. "Asuka wanted to be just like her mother. Every time I saw her, she was at her side clutching to her leg with the biggest smile, and cried whenever she left her alone with me. I remember she used to try and wear her clothes and shoes, but they were always way too big. Kyoko thought it was the funniest thing in the world… I can still remember her laugh to this day." Suddenly a shiver went down his spine. He could feel his eyes beginning to water; the hard part was sinking in. "She was just so… She didn't deserve what happened to her…"

"Ikari," Ayanami said his name like nothing was wrong, "What happened to Ms. Kyoko?"

"She…" Shinji took a deep breath, swallowing hard.

'_**Oh, no…'**_ Riolu sensed what he was going to say before it even left his mouth, and instantly realized why his trainer was having such difficulty talking about this.

"She died ten years ago…_ at the hands of another trainer."_

* * *

A stone skipped across the surface of a pond. The little pebble neared the water's center just before a tail fin slapped it away back to the shore, its thrower catching it in mid-air. Asuka squeezed it in her hand as she nodded to her Magikarp who had succeeded in his test.

"That's good for now," she told the fish, returning it to its Pokéball, "We'll do twenty more in a little bit." Putting the sphere back on her waist, she brought her attention to Torchic. The little Fire type was honing his kicking skills, thrusting his tiny clawed feet at imaginary bad guys. She had only healed him a short while ago, but he was acting as if he hadn't been hurt at all. "At least you're feeling better."

'**Never felt so **_**alive!'**_ the bird chirped, **'Sure, losing sucks but it shows me I gotta get stronger! I'll never get Gardevoir if I don't!'**

"Up for a challenge?" Asuka put her hands on her hips, "Let's see if your kicks have gotten any better. See that rock?" She gestured to a stumpy boulder, slightly taller than Torchic, "I want to see that rock turned to rubble when I come back. I won't be long, so don't be worried about being alone. Just focus on your training."

'_**Got it!'**_ Torchic winked, eyeing down the big stone, **'I'll crush it in no ti- Huh?' **He turned around to see that his trainer had vanished into thin air. **'Asuka? **_**Hello?'**_

"That was close!" Asuka breathed a sigh of relief, pushing the leaves of a fern from her path, "I couldn't hold it any longer!" Trudging through the undergrowth, she traveled far enough until she felt she was in a secluded place. This was the part of the adventure she hated; she had never not gone to the bathroom in anything other than a nice, clean restroom. Going in the woods felt so degrading...

"Ack…" Asuka looked around in disgust. The only places that provided decent cover from any prying eyes were a big stump and some reeds by yet another pond. Choosing the lesser of two evils, Asuka pulled apart the reeds and bent down. _"Ugh! _This is so disgusting!" A couple moments passed, and she realized that there was no way she'd be able to go in this situation any time soon.

"Dammit!" She pulled her panties up, dusting the bugs off her skirt. She was sick and tired of this filthy nature! "Stupid Wonder-Girl!" her voice echoed throughout the woods, "Worried about having her Altaria fly through a storm! We'd be out of these woods by now if she wasn't so stubborn!"

Enraged, she ripped a stone up from the muddy bank and chucked it through the haze into the pond, sending a spray of water skyward. As the droplets rained down, Asuka felt a sudden feeling of uneasiness come over her. She dropped to her knees, pulling them to her chest and burying her face within. _'Not now… I have to focus, have to stay calm. For Mama…'_

"Asuka…"

"Wha-?" Asuka looked up in shock as she heard something whisper her name. The forest was eerily quiet; nothing alive, let alone capable of speaking, was in sight. "Wh-Who's there? _Show yourself!"_

"Asuka…" the voice was louder this time, echoing in Asuka's ears. This thing was in her head! It had to be her imagination!

And then, before her eyes, a shape began to form on the pond.

It rose out of the water, algae and pond weeds dripping from its hunched red body and long arms. Its toothy jaw hung open at a vertical angle, like it was just dangling from its skull by tendons. A tongue ran over its needle like teeth as its four green eyes stared at the petrified Asuka.

"Where have you been... Asuka?" the beast spoke, in a voice that Asuka found horrifyingly familiar, "I miss you so much… Come back to me…" It trudged towards the land, a hand outstretched and reaching for Asuka.

"N-No…!" the girl whispered, crawling backwards away from the nightmarish sight, "You're not real! _You're not real!_ _Stay away!"_

The beast towered over her now, its head cocked unnaturally and drooling. Asuka closed her eyes, unable to gaze upon her tormentor any more. "Don't worry, my Asuka… Just wait for me. _I'll find you."_

"You aren't real!" Asuka snarled, clenching her fist, _"You aren't her!"_

She swung blindly in front of her, but hit nothing but air. Asuka opened her eyes to see the beast was gone, with no trace of its existence in sight. She could still feel her heart pounding from the experience.

"I… I have to get out of here…" she muttered, shakily standing to her feet. These woods were playing tricks on her; it was time to get Torchic, find Shinji and Wonder-Girl and get the hell out of this damned forest. But the voice of that vision, that demonic monster, still rang in her head.

"I don't understand," Asuka pondered as she made her way through the undergrowth once again, "That thing… Why did it sound like _Mama?"_

Suddenly Asuka heard a rustling from behind her. Pivoting quickly, she saw a clutter of underbrush shaking violently and a pair of red eyes glaring back at her from within. She barely had time to scream before the creature lunged out of the bushes, ready to tear her apart with its sharp, blade-like claws…

* * *

"…She was killed?" To say Ayanami wasn't surprised at his words would be a lie; it's just that she was so stoic her face couldn't express her shock fully. Though Seele was known for their ruthlessness in the field, murder was something only few would turn to. For her to hear of a trainer committing such a heinous act all those years before their apparent formation was quite astonishing.

"Yes," Shinji nodded slowly, "It really is something hard to believe. It was just so sudden and unexpected, too. Those times were the hardest for everyone, especially Asuka. I remember that day so clearly, too."

He cleared his throat; this was going to be difficult to say.

"It was only a few days into the summer. The flowers were in bloom, and the Combee were just beginning their yearly honey gather when Mom got a phone call from the police. They broke the news to her and she… She just broke down right there in the kitchen. I had no idea what was going on until much later when I saw Asuka at the hospital. I'll never forget that hour I was there. She was crying so much, asking where her mother was to everyone who walked by. I tried to be nice to her and hold her hand, but she hit me. That might not seem like a big deal now, but that time was different. That was the first time she ever hit me. _Ever_…"

He sniffed, rubbing his pounding head. Riolu could sense his pain inside, and put his paw on him again. _**'**_**Shinji, please. **_**Stop.**_** You don't have to-'**

"You know what the worst part was?" Ikari's voice cracked, his eye tearing up, "It wasn't the police who found her body: It was _her_. Asuka ran out to find her, and instead found her bled out in a field with a knife wound in her gut. Her Pokémon were just gone; no one's seen them since. The way Asuka described it was just too detailed. The whole scene was burned into her mind, and I don't think she's ever forgotten it. I can't even _begin_ to understand just how much pain she feels."

"But you have lost someone," Ayanami spoke, feeling the urge to correct him, "Your father. He was absent for most of your childhood."

Shinji gave her a look of surprise as he wiped his eyes. "…How do you know that?"

This caught Rei off-guard, having realized she hadn't actually told Shinji about his father's true location earlier. She quickly thought of a vague excuse. "That is classified information."

"Okay… But I see what you mean. The difference is I was never close to my father. I couldn't even tell you what he looks like. Asuka and her mother were like glue; they were inseparable. Just imagine finding the one person you care for most in your life dead in front of you, and you'll feel only a fraction of what she felt."

Rei tried to place herself in that situation, but found that she didn't feel that strongly for anyone back at NERV, not even the Commander. Every connection in her life had been strictly business, with no bonds formed at all. "I think I must agree with you now, Ikari."

Looking up towards the forest canopy, Shinji took a deep breath and gathered himself, letting the light drizzle fall over his face. "You know, I always thought I knew why Asuka wanted to be a trainer. The way she always talked about surpassing me, I just thought she used that as cover to hide her true feelings. She still wants to be a great trainer like her mother was, but that's not all. She wants to _avenge _her. Asuka wants to find whoever took Kyoko away from her and make him suffer just as much as she did. And if that day ever comes… I don't think I'd ever be able to look at her the same again."

And then they heard it. A scream, echoing throughout the forest and full of terror. Shinji recognized its owner instantly.

"That was Asuka!" he jumped to his feet, quickly snagging his pack from off the ground. "She's in trouble! _Hurry, Rei!"_

As Ikari ran off into the woods towards the scream with Riolu at his feet, Ayanami looked to Gardevoir, who had been calmly standing behind her the whole time taking the story in.

'**Such a tragedy, my lady,'** Gardevoir said with a hint of sadness, **'I hate hearing such sad stories. It pains my heart…'** Silently acknowledging her Pokémon, Ayanami soon followed after Shinji, still trying to comprehend just how much pain Soryu felt inside.

* * *

'_**HAAAH!' **_

With one final kick, the boulder crumbled to pieces. Exhausted, Torchic plopped down on his feathery rump panting excessively. **'Man that was hard! I can't even move my legs right now! I sure could use another nap right now.'**

The bird's eyelids began to droop as he let out a big yawn, ready to return to his dream world fantasy where Gardevoir and his fangirls awaited him. He figured Asuka would yell at him once she saw him dozing off, but he earned this nap. **'She'll understand… I hope…' **His consciousness getting fuzzier by the moment, Torchic let out a long sigh as he drifted away…

"_KYAAAA!"_

'_**What the-?!'**_ Torhic sat up instantly, _**'Asuka?!'**_ That scream was loud; she had to be close! Asuka was in trouble! _**'I gotta help her!'**_

He hopped onto his still aching legs and dashed off in the direction of his trainer. The forest a green blur around him, Torchic could barely breathe as he leapt over fallen logs and ledges. His lungs were stinging, and his heart was beating faster than ever, but he couldn't give up! Asuka was in trouble, and she needed his help!

"_KYAA! HELP! HELP ME!"_

'_**I'm comin' Asuka!'**_ Torchic wheezed. He wanted to keel over in pain, but Asuka needed him! He had to keep going! He had to be strong! Mustering what little strength he had left, he kicked himself into overdrive and dashed faster than he ever had before!

'_**RRRAAAAAHHH!'**_

And then he began to glow.

* * *

"_Stay back!" _

Narrowly dodging the sharp claws aimed right at her head, Asuka fell onto her rear, crawling backwards on her hands away from her attacker. The attacker, a rabid Zangoose, had been provoked by the girl when she walked by and in its diseased state pounced. With only Magikarp at her disposal, the only defense Asuka had was the nature around her.

"I said _stay_ _back!"_ She chucked a heavy stone at the Zangoose, who easily sliced through it with his claws. Thinking quick, Asuka kicked at the ground trying to blind the rabid Pokémon with mud.

'_**Graaah!'**_ As the Zangoose rubbed at its stinging eyes, Asuka made a break for it. Stumbling, her shoes failed to gain traction with the muddy dirt and she fell on her face.

"_Dammit!"_ Asuka winced, spitting mud from her mouth. She couldn't die like this, covered in mud and utterly helpless! She could hear the Zangoose behind her, snarling viciously. Even half-blinded it still kept going! Asuka couldn't look at the creature who was going to take her life. She buried her head into her hands, waiting for the creature to strike her with its claws…

*WHAM!*

"Wha-?!" Asuka opened her eyes. That sound… Something had attacked the Zangoose! But what?! She looked behind her and gazed upon her savior, standing tall over a now bruised Zangoose. "I-It can't be!"

The Pokémon standing before Asuka was a firery shade of orange and red, standing on two feet with long clawed arms. Atop its tube-like neck was a familiar crest of three feathers. The Pokémon turned its head back to Asuka and winked.

"_T-Torchic?"_ Asuka whispered in bewilderment, "Is that you?"

'**Hell yeah,' **the once-Torchic nodded,** 'But the name's **_**Combusken**_** now!'**

'_**Rarrgh!'**_ The Zangoose was not impressed by the freshly evolved Pokémon, and jumped at it with claws ready to strike. Combusken pulled his own clawed hands into fists and leapt as well.

"Go get it!" Asuka cheered in support, _"Kick his ass!"_

Zangoose made the first move, swinging its claws in a slashing uppercut. Combusken dodged it easily and made a shot of his own, delivering a swift kick into the Normal-type's gut. Before the Zangoose could recover, Combusken kicked him again in the face and sent him into the ground below.

'**Grr...'** the rabid Pokémon snarled as it tried to stand. Combusken wasn't going to give it that chance. With a running flip, the fighting chicken put its two powerful feet together and missle dropkicked the Zangoose, throwing it backwards into the air. Its limp, unconscious body rolled across the mud until it stopped motionlessly. Asuka's eyes opened wide as she gasped in glee at Combusken's easy victory. She ran over and threw her arms around her Pokémon.

"_You did it!"_ she squeezed Combusken neck tightly, choking him, "You evolved! I knew I had the greatest Pokemon ever!"

'**Well,'** Combusken chuckled arrogantly, **'We both knew that already, didn't we?'**

"_Asuka!" _

The redhead perked up as she heard her name called. Shinji and Riolu rushed out from the undergrowth, breathing heavily. Close behind them were Ayanami and Gardevoir who were nowhere near as tired as the boys, having walked instead of ran. "Thank _-haah- _God we found you!" Shinji wheezed, "Are you _-haah-_ alright?"

"Of course I am, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka answered snappily, "But are you blind or something? Don't you see anything different?"

"Hm?" Only now did Shinji realize that her Pokémon had undergone a major change. _"O-Oh!_ That's Torchic, isn't it?"

Soryu rolled her eyes. "Stupid as always. Who else would it be?"

"…You don't have to be snippy about it."

"_What_ did you just call me?!"

Ayanami watched puzzled as the two old friends began to bicker. She felt her cheeks begin to warm as an uncomfortable feeling flowed through her body. _'Is this what people consider awkward?' _Unsure of what to do, Rei stood perfectly still and continued to watch as Asuka put Ikari in a chokehold. _'Yes… It must be…'_

Meanwhile, Combusken had made his way over to Gardevoir. Leaning on a tree with his newly developed arm, he pulled all of his macho charms together in an attempt to woo the Psychic type.

'**See these?'** the Fighting type flexed his feathery muscles, **'No more tiny flappy wings, baby. I have **_**these guns**_** now. Wanna test 'em out?'**

Gardevoir giggled at his terrible flirting. **'I see evolution has not changed your brash demeanor!'**

'…**My what, now?'**

Riolu rolled his eyes. **'Evolution apparently didn't make you any smarter, either.'**

'**Oh, look who's talkin' small fry! At least I ain't a baby Pokémon anymore!'**

'**You must realize that size doesn't always matter when the time calls.'**

'…**You just had to say it like that, didn't ya?' **

'**Huh?'** The smaller Fighting type was absolutely in the dark about his unfortunate wording. **'I don't understand.'**

'**And that's why I win.'**

'**Why?' **Riolu called as Combusken walked away, proud of his little victory, **'What did I say?!'**

* * *

"Storm's brewin', out there…" the 2nd Angel Adam muttered to himself. He was looking out of the side window of the Seele VTOL carrier he and his fellow Angels were riding in through the thick grey clouds above the expansive forest range. Lightning flashed within a nearby cloud, illuminating the dark interior of the ship. Sitting around him were Lilith and Bardiel, who had been going over the upcoming assault. The latter couldn't help but overhear his meant to be self-comment.

"Afraid of the weather, Adam?" Bardiel said with snide, "Only cowards worry about such trivial things."

"Watch your tongue," Lilith scolded, "Remember that he outranks you. Best keep your mouth to yourself and get your mind back to the matter at hand."

"Right…" The armored Angel slunk down in his seat, mustering all restraint to stop him from snapping Lilith's neck. "As I was saying, we shall have Sahaquiel's group positioned in Hoatzin City, just as the artifact is ready to be handed over to NERV. Zeruel and I shall take point on the city outskirts in case of their failure. You and Adam will be positioned opposite of us."

"I'm afraid not," Lilith retorted, completely dismissing Bardiel's strategy, "Adam and I shall do as we please in order to make the mission a success. In other words, we won't be your lackeys like Zeruel and the others."

Gritting his teeth at Lilith's disobedience, Bardiel pounded his fist down on the table. "How _dare _you! You made it clear yourself that _I_ was given full operation here!"

"And _I_ have the power to take back my claims. Besides, I said Adam and I would be accompanying you, not serving you. Maybe you should pay more attention to detail next time, Bardiel."

"You _bitch_…" Before Bardiel could speak any further, Lilith's communicator began to beep. She looked down to it and saw "RESTRICTED MESSAGE" across its screen.

'_They must've found it,'_ the woman realized. There was no way she was going to allow Bardiel to know of this; the Angels had to be kept in the dark of this at all costs. "Bardiel, you are dismissed. Inform the rest of the Angels of your strategy, minus myself and Adam's involvement."

"What?" Bardiel narrowed his eyes; the message she had must be important. For Lilith to keep this a secret from him meant this was something between only her and the Supreme Commander… or so she thought. Playing along, he nodded his head. "Very well. I will do as such."

Lilith waited almost a full minute after the doors closed behind Bardiel until answering the call. Slouching back in her seat, she propped her legs up on the table in a very unladylike manor. "Is this line completely secure?"

"Yes, Colonel," the voice on the other end answered, "Only you and anyone around you can hear us."

"Good," she stretched her arms out behind her head and let out a great big yawn, "The room quarantined?"

Adam gave her a thumbs up. "Yup. Cameras were tampered with and doors locked the second Bardiel left the room."

Sighing, the woman reached for her mask and pulled it off. Black, almost violet hair flowed from underneath down past her shoulders as she brushed her bangs down over her face. She glanced at the man near the window with an annoyed look. "You can take that stupid mask off now, Kaji. It's creeping me out."

Ryoji Kaji pulled his bug-like disguise off, tying his hair into a ponytail. "I thought it was my normal face that did that to you Katsuragi," he smirked, scratching his unshaven face, "Or am I just too easy on the eyes for you?"

"There's no time for that now!" Misato Katsuragi hissed. She quickly regained her composure and brought her focus back to the communicator. "Sorry about that. Now, give me the news."

"Yes, ma'am," the NERV agent on the other line responded, "We are glad to report that the expedition at Turnback Cave in the Sinnoh region has been a complete success. The researchers have uncovered what we believe to be the artifact we have been searching for. It is currently in relay back to NERV headquarters via aerial transport."

"Good work, to all of you," Misato said with a smile, "Do you have any image of it? I wanna see this thing with my own eyes." She flinched for a moment as Kaji draped his arms over her shoulders before settling herself. She didn't want to ruin this moment of success for NERV by starting another scuffle with her ex-lover.

"Same goes for me," the carefree man said, "Go ahead, soldier. Make our day."

The screen flashed from the image of the NERV agent to a grainy black and white image of what appeared to be the floor of a cave. Sticking out of a deep pit of rocks like a marker was a long black object, with two twisted prongs at its end.

"Well I'll be," Kaji breathed, "They really did find it."

"It's _incredible,"_ Misato shook her head as she stared at the grainy image on her communicator, "I can't believe that thing was the same object that forced God to form a whole other dimension for its creator…"

"At least NERV has ahold of it and not these buffoons here at Seele. Who knows what they would do with it."

"Probably summon its creator and start another war," Misato joked, "But that's never going to happen. Now that _we_ have the _Lance of the Renegade_, there's no way in hell any of Seele's plans of controlling God will _ever_ succeed."

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Stormy, Silent Night..._

_Sleep and Secrets Revealed!_


	14. Stage 14: Winding Woods 3 - Let Me In

**Change of pace this time, guys. Can't have battles every chapter now, can we?**

**Don't forget to follow/favorite/review if you enjoy the story!**

* * *

It was late afternoon when the downpour finally started. The heavy pitter-patter of rain on the leaves high above were an early warning sign to the denizens of the forest, with those who wished not to be drenched retreating to their burrows and hideaways. Some Pokémon, specifically the Water types, had been waiting weeks for this weather. At the biggest pond of the forest, Ludicolo and Politoed danced around in the rain in a jolly jamboree while the (self-proclaimed) King of the Water, a beefy Seismitoad, lounged back on his rocky throne absorbing the falling water through his pores.

**'This is the life…'** the big frog yawned as he stretched out his arms. He opened his mouth as a Poliwhirl attendant prepared to feed him an Oran Berry. Before the delectable blue treat could fall into his gaping maw, however, he saw something unusual: three human children, dashing past the lake in search of cover from the relentless downpour. Running alongside them were two Pokémon that Seismitoad didn't recognize; if they weren't members of his entourage here at the pond, then he gave no second thought about them. As he returned his attention to the Oran Berry in Poliwhirl's glove-like hand, the frog heard something else coming from the passerby: laughing and snickering.

'_**Hey, fat-ass!' **_one of the Pokémon, an orange chicken-looking thing, had stayed behind and was pointing right at Seismitoad's gut, **'Might wanna lay off the berries for a while! You need to **_**lose**_** weight, not gain it!'**

'…_**You're dead.'**_ Any thoughts Seismitoad had of ignoring these strangers immediately vanished. He rolled off his rock into the pond, a huge spray of water flying into the air as he angrily waded over to the shore to beat some respect into this passerby. As some of his Poliwrath guards joined his side, the chicken realized just how stupid he had been.

'**What's going on?'** Riolu had ran back after Combsken to see what idiotic thing he had done, but instead saw the big frog Pokémon heading towards his friend, **'What did you do?!'**

'**I-I called him fat!'**

'**Why in the name of Arceus would you do that?!'**

'**I didn't think he'd actually get up!'**

'_**You arrogant-!'**_ Rilolu couldn't even think of an insult to call Combusken, **'Come on! We can outrun them!'**

The two fled the Seismitoad and his entourage, and quickly caught up with Shinji, Asuka, and Ayanami who were only a short distance ahead. Shinji looked down at Riolu, wondering where his Pokémon had just gone.

"Where were you?" Ikari asked, "Did you just go back to that pond?"

Asuka glanced at her Pokémon as well. "Yeah, what was that about?"

'**Yes,'** Riolu answered, shooting an angry look at the still-frightened Combusken, **'We went to the pond, but we won't be going back there again. Isn't that right,** _**Combusken?'**_

'**Yeah, yeah,' **the chicken muttered, **'Stupid fat frog…'**

"Hold." Ayanami stopped abruptly, looking to her right at something in the woods. Her companions skidded to a halt, almost slipping in the mud beneath their feet. The blue haired girl pointed to a rocky cliff side, with a substantial opening at its base. It was impossible to see what lurk within the murky blackness, but one could guess it was nowhere near as wet as the world around it. "There is a cave. We shall stay there for the night."

"Good eye, Wonder Girl," Asuka praised the agent like one would an infant, "You actually did something helpful for once. Come on, Shinji!"

Ikari was much less eager to go inside the cave. "I don't know about that, you guys. There could be an Ursaring sleeping in there, and I really don't want to-"

"Shut it, Baka Shinji!" Soryu grabbed him by the collar and started dragging him in the direction of the cave, "The longer _you _whine, the wetter we _all_ get! Now come on!"

* * *

"Now this is interesting…"

It was just about midnight as Misato Katsuragi stared at her laptop screen on her desk at the strands of information displayed in rows before her. Copying the most useful tidbits to her flash drive, she continued scrolling through its contents in search of any more secrets. Acting in the position of the 2nd Angel had its benefits, for it allowed her full un-denied access to Seele's Terminal Master Database, or MTD for short. It was a good thing she had learned how to read this kind of data from Ritsuko all those years ago; if she hadn't this would be taking _much_ longer.

The purple haired woman took a sip of beer as she entered another database. This one was slightly different in form, and was surprisingly password protected. "Huh?" Katsuragi bent over closer to the screen. For the ten years or so she had been planted here at Seele this was the first ever database she had found that denied her access. "This one must be hiding something… Time to find out what it is."

Before she attempted to hack it, Misato checked to see just where this locked data came from. She wasn't too surprised to see it had originated from the Science Division: This was _Iruel's _work.

"Great," Katsuragi tied her hair up in a ponytail, entering serious mode, "Like I _really_ wanted to deal with _his_ crap right now." She had to be careful here. The 11th Angel was a mad genius; any false move could alert him of the hacking in an instant and compromise her and Kaji's position. "Really wish Ritsuko was here to do this."

"Then why don't you have her do it then?"

The sudden voice made Misato jump in her seat. "Goddamn it, Kaji!" she threw her half full beer can at the man, who ducked in the nick of time. "You know I hate when you do that!"

"Are you drinking on the job again? You know that's bad for you, right?"

"I'm not drunk, am I? Don't preach to me about how I do my job."

"Fine, fine," Kaji walked over from the door and sat on the edge of her desk, looking over his shoulder at the laptop, "So this is Iruel's stuff, eh?"

"Yeah," Misato lounged back in her chair, letting out an exasperated breath, "I don't even wanna know what's in here."

"You could always let Ritsuko do it. She's probably bored to tears in that lab of hers."

"And what if the system detects an outsider using _my_ server? That'd be pretty damn suspicious. I'm not compromising our position to delve into this nut-job's science experiments."

"Well then, let's not use _your_ server."

"What do you mean?"

"It's simple," Kaji scooted onto the seat alongside her, pulling the laptop in front of him. "We'll use someone else's then."

"You clever bastard," Katsuragi smirked, "I'm surprised I didn't think of doing that."

"It comes packaged with my looks," Ryoji answered as he logged out of Misato's server, "Looks like Armisael and Arael aren't online right now. Whose should we use?"

A thought came to Misato. She dug into the desk drawer and pulled out a second laptop, blowing away the dust and opening its lid. "Why not both? If we log on at the same time as them and one of us gets caught, we can shift blame to the two of them."

"Looks like my cleverness rubbed off on you," Kaji chuckled, "Probably from all that fun back in colleg-_OW!"_ His hand gripped the back of his head where Katsuragi had whacked him one.

"Bring that up again, and I'll hurt you even more. You can have Arael's server; I'll take Armisael. Let's see what this creep's hiding in here."

* * *

Shinji's initial thought of the cave proved to be wrong. There was no Ursaring within; only a few Paras that Asuka and Combusken managed to repel. A colony of Zubat was nested somewhere deeper in the cavern, but their cries were so faint that they far enough away to not be a bother. To prevent the rainy winds or any outside visitors from getting in, Ayanami instructed her Gardevoir to create a psychic barrier across the cave's entrance, effectively protecting them from the outside world for the remainder of the night. A small fire was burning in the center of the rocky floor; Combusken had been tasked with keeping it going, much to his chagrin. On the opposite side of the spectrum was Ayanami's Altaria. The fluffy dragon was glad to be finally out of its Pokéball, having been cramped up in the tiny sphere all day.

'**Ahhh!'** Altaria cried gleefully as she spread her wings as far as they could, **'I've needed to stretch all day!'** Her cloud-like appendages accidentally bumped into Asuka, who was shoving food down her Magikarp's throat.

"_Watch it_, you…" the redhead stopped herself from screaming at the Pokemon as she realized just how soft and comfortable its wings were, "Whoa. This is actually pretty comfortable." She plopped back onto Altaria's fluff, completely forgetting about her flailing fish that couldn't feed itself. "You're alright in my book, Altaria. Even if you _are_ Wonder-Girl's Pokémon …"

'**Thank you!'** the dragon hummed with a smile, always glad to make a new friend.

On the other side of the cave Shinji had made his own resting place. Though not as soft as Altaria, Skiddo's earthy fur was just as good a pillow. The goat nibbled on one of his trainer's socks as its owner yawned loudly.

"It feels so good to be able to kick back and relax like this for once," Shinji stretched his arms behind his head, "How long's it been since we've gotten any good rest?"

"It's only been _two days_, Baka Shinji," Soryu answered, rolling her eyes, "You can't be _that_ worn out."

"Well… We have been through quite a bit. I'm still not over that attack from Seele back home, to be honest."

Asuka glared at him, disgusted by his fragility. She ducked her head behind Altaria's wing, unable to look at him a moment longer. "You're so pathetic."

Sighing, Shinji looked past the fire where Combusken and Riolu were sitting and focused his attention on Rei. She was sharing a small meal of tea and cakes with Gardevoir, the food neatly laid out on a little white blanket. The way they ate looked like they were following some sort of ceremonial routine, like they ate this way every day. The two of them really did look like outsiders right now, something that Shinji wanted to fix. Sitting up off of Skidoo, he made his move.

"Hey Rei, Gardevoir," Shinji smiled as he walked over, kneeling down beside the blue-haired pair, "Mind if I join you?"

Ayanami looked at him with her usual blank stare. "…You wish to join us?"

"Yeah. This food looks really good, and I'm starving!"

The NERV agent looked to her Pokémon as if she needed her approval. "…Do you reject?"

'**Not at all, my lady,'** Gardevoir gave her a little smile, **'The more the merrier, they say.'** The Psychic Fairy's comment was overheard by Combusken, who appeared beside the three in a flash. He scooted up close beside Gardevoir, throwing his arm around her shoulders.

'**Well then, may I join as well, my dear?'** he crooned, making Gardevoir blush as he leaned in close to her face, **'Surely **_**you**_** need some male companionship, too.'** Combusken then felt something moving in between him and Gardevoir, pushing him aside. That something was Riolu, who was planted Indian-style on the ground, already with a cup of tea in his tiny paws.

'**What **_**you**_** need,'** Riolu said solemnly with eyes closed, **'Is to learn some manners. It is impolite to invade a woman's personal space.'**

Combusken's eye twitched in anger as his crush giggled at his misfortune. **'I can't wait 'til you get **_**neutered**_**, you little mutt.'**

While the Pokémon started their own little conversation/argument (with the intrigued Skidoo finally wandering over to see what the fuss was about), Shinji brought his attention back to Rei.

"So, Rei," he started, picking up a cup of tea, "How long have you been a Pokémon trainer?"

The girl took a sip of her drink. "Ever since I have been with NERV."

Shinji was unsatisfied with her vague answer. "And how long has that been?"

"Since I was born."

"Wh-What?" He blinked twice; he couldn't have heard her right! "Since… you were born?"

"…Why do we ask questions, Ikari?"

"Huh?"

Ayanami put her tea down, delicately adjusting it into its proper setting. "Questions. You are always asking me them, Ikari. And I asked them to you earlier today. Why do you think humans feel the need to know things that do not affect them?"

"Uh, well… It's just natural curiosity, I guess. That, and I want us to be friends, Rei."

The odd girl cocked her head. "Friends?"

"Yeah. I mean, we are travelling together. We should at least try to know something about each other and not act like total strangers."

Rei paused to think for a moment, looking down at the ground. "You are not just content with me being your guarding escort?"

"I just think," Shinji smiled lightly, "That this wouldn't have to feel like a mission to you if we got along. We could have some good times if we were all friends. Just look at our Pokémon." He and Rei both turned to their creatures. Riolu and Combusken had broken into a little scuffle as Gardevoir and Skidoo laughed and giggled; it was a joyous scene. "Don't you think it would be nice if we were all like that?"

Ayanami fell silent again in contemplation. These feelings that Ikari was suggesting her to feel were odd and new to her, and she didn't have a clue of what to say to him in response. "I… _suppose. _ Is that an adequate response, Ikari?"

Her strange response couldn't help but make Shinji burst into a laughing fit. She looked at him with wide eyes, like he was some sort of alien. "Did I say something wrong?"

"No, no!" Shinji wiped his eyes, "It's just the way you said it, that's all."

"Oh, I see. Then you find me amusing?"

"Amusing isn't really the right word; I'd say… quirky."

Once again she went quiet. The next moment, she slowly raised her index finger up to Shinji's forehead and gently poked him with its tip. The boy raised an eyebrow at her. "What's this?"

"You said I am quirky. Does this match with my personality?"

It was too much for Shinji. A little snicker turned into a giggling fit as he clenched his gut. "You really are _something_, Rei!"

Rei looked at him in confusion; was she really this amusing in his eyes? Why were her questions so funny to him? Oddly, she felt the need to cast her inquisitions aside. Just looking at him laugh made her want to smile. So she did.

It was the first time she had ever done so.

'_I feel… happy…'_

"_Hmph!"_ Asuka grumbled from a distance as she returned the still hungry Magikarp to its Pokéball. Seeing all the happy-cheery fun happening over there made her angry, and it was most certainly not because she wasn't a part of it. No, it was because of that idiot Shinji and his attempt to befriend that freak Wonder-Girl.

'_Why the hell does he want another friend? What does he see in her? What could he possibly want from her that he couldn't get from me?!'_

The redhead flipped onto her side, her back turned towards the group as she rolled her head off the heavenly wings of Altaria and onto her solid backpack. There was no way she was going to enjoy anything related to that blue-haired freak now.

* * *

"Find anything yet?" Misato asked her partner. She and Kaji had just broken through the first layer of Iruel's security surprisingly unnoticed, and she had a gut feeling that they would be encountering some kind of resistance soon. The only info they had dug up so far were the mechanical plans of the EVA series drones, something every member of Seele had access to. Misato couldn't help but wonder why these were being kept under a locked database, unless…

"I think I just did," Kaji answered, turning his laptop towards her, "Another password command. But this one's different." He pointed to the symbols on the screen; they were archaic looking, and were instantly recognizable as the Alphabet Pokemon of Johto.

"Unown lettering," Katsuragi brought her hand to her chin, "Why would he use that? Even children know how to read that."

"There's obviously something more to it… The letters are B, H, E, R, I, T, and another R. None of them are of the punctuation shape. Maybe they correspond to the number of their letter in the alphabet?"

"It's worth a shot," she shrugged, "Let me connect to your server; if you trigger something I'll do my best to break through and grab any data that I can."

Kaji smiled and let out a laugh. "Ritsuko would be loving this right now."

"Tell me about it."

Rubbing his hands together for good luck, Kaji typed in the appropriate numbers. He and Misato crossed their fingers as the system examined the numerical password. The two of them were relieved to see the computer accept the password, and it began to load the next layer of Iruel's data.

"That actually worked," Misato shook her head in disbelief, "Who would've thought?"

Kaji, on the other hand, seemed way more concerned. "Yeah… It was almost too easy. Like he wanted someone to get in here…"

"_Why, hello there."_

The two spies froze at the nasally voice coming from the computer. On the screen was the masked visage of Iruel, his hands clasped together behind his back.

"Shit!" Reaching to close the laptop's lid, Misato's arm was stopped by Kaji. "What're you doing?! He can see us!"

"Look closer," the man pointed to the upper corner of the screen, where a date and time was displayed, "This is pre-recorded. Nothing to worry about."

Iruel continued to speak as the spies relaxed themselves. _"If this specific recording has been accessed, then I must be speaking to Arael right now, yes? Surprised you of all Angels could actually get this far."_

"He recorded a specific message for each Angel," Misato folded her arms, "Guy really wants to look like he knows everything that happens past, present, _and_ future."

"_Now you're probably wondering why you're seeing me right now, yes? Well, all you need to know is that you've been caught, and you're not going to live to spread whatever secrets you think you may have learned while searching through my dummy files, yes."_

"Dummy files?" Kaji's eyes widened then narrowed, "Should've figured as much from this guy."

"_But,"_ Iruel raised a finger, _"Seeing as you managed to get this far, I'll leave you with one last puzzle. Remember those Unown? Unscramble those for me, yes? Then tell me what they read as you die before me. Goodbye, yes?"_

Suddenly the entire database on Kaji's laptop began to collapse, deleting itself in a flash of vanishing numbers and symbols. Realizing this self-destruct virus was heading towards his own laptop's personal files, the man pulled the battery pack at the last moment, halting its movement.

"That was close," Kaji said, storing his computer away, "Iruel sure knows how to make you feel stupid, eh?"

"Those letters…" Grabbing a pen, Misato quickly scribbled the letters of the Unown down on the napkin where here beer can once sat. She stared at them for a few moments before seeing the hidden word within. "Kaji… Look at this." The man leaned over to the napkin and watched as Katsuragi rewrote the letters in a different order, spelling them out under her breath as she wrote each one. "R… E… B… I… R… T… H."

"_Rebirth?"_ Kaji said questioningly, stroking his short beard, "Any ideas of what that may mean?"

"I've got a few," Misato answered as she stared at the word written before her like the dark omen that it was, "But none of them have a happy ending."

* * *

The rumbling of thunder above reverberated off the cave walls as the children and their Pokémon slept, or at least tried to. Combusken had been first to go, passing out right in the middle of the fire; luckily his Fire typing made him immune to the intense heat and burning sticks around him. Riolu and Gardevoir were huddled around the flames, just close enough for its heat to warm them into deep dreams. The cloud-like wings of Altaria were being put to use by Ayanami, who was curled up in their heavenly fluff. The strange girl had fallen asleep while updating her data log on her Pokégear, the hologram image still projecting from the device.

Not far away Skidoo once again acted as Shinji's pillow. But while the goat was snoring gently, the boy was wide awake, mindlessly browsing through his Pokédex. For supposedly being the most tired of the group, he sure was having trouble staying asleep; this was his third time he had awoken. Perhaps it was the grassy smell of his Skidoo's fur that was keeping him up, or maybe the heavy rain outside. He remembered when he was little how his mother would always bring him a warm cup of milk to help calm him down during these storms, and it made him miss her even more.

It was then he also remembered he wasn't the only one missing their mother.

Shinji looked away from his Pokédex across the cave. Curled up with her head resting on her backpack was Asuka, fidgeting and whispering to herself; about what he didn't know, but he could make a pretty good guess on just what it was. Worrying about her surely wasn't going to help him fall asleep, so he flipped over onto his side and turned his back to her.

About an hour passed, and Shinji could feel his thoughts begin to fade as he finally felt sleep taking over. The rain had turned from a distraction to a soothing melody of nature, and he let out one long breath as he relaxed his body and mind…

"Move over."

Shinji hadn't heard the sound of footsteps walking over towards him, and surely wasn't expecting to hear a voice right behind his head. He jumped, startled, but didn't scream. His body went stiff as he felt Asuka's back press up against his.

"Don't say a word," her voice was calm, but with underlying aggression, "Tell anyone about this, and I will personally castrate you. Understood?"

"O-Okay. But why are you…"

"Can't sleep. Shut up so I can."

She said nothing for a while, silent except for the sound of her gentle breathing. Shinji could feel her back rising and falling with every breath, neutralizing his own ability to do so. If she stayed beside him all night, he was going to die blue in the face from lack of oxygen!

"Asuka…" he whispered, peering over his shoulder, "Can you scoot over a little bit?"

"No."

'_Should've expected that,'_ Shinji sighed mentally. If only Riolu wasn't asleep then he could ask the Pokémon for advice here… Wait, what was he thinking? Riolu was probably even more clueless than him about how to deal with girls! The only other thing he could think of was ask again, this time with an excuse. "Please? This is pretty uncomfortable for me."

"…So I make you uncomfortable, is that it?"

"N-no, that's not – _GAH!"_

If Shinji thought he wasn't going to breathe earlier, he definitely wasn't going to now. In what could be considered a glitch in the system, Asuka had wheeled around and latched her arms around Shinji's torso, literally squeezing what little air he had left out of him. He had went stiff as a board, afraid that one wrong move may result in his imminent demise.

"How's this?" she whispered in his ear with an evil smirk, "Still uncomfortable?" Her hand slowly ran down his side and towards his waist, bee lining for his Little Shinji. _"I can fix that."_

"_Asuka, what're you-?!"_

"Keep it down!" Asuka's hand went back to its original position, "I'm just messing around. Like I'd ever do that to _you_, anyways."

Shinji sighed, relieved she hadn't actually reached his Little Shinji who was more than ready for liftoff. "Can you let go of me then?"

"…I will, once you fall asleep. I promise."

"But then how will I know that you did?"

"Come on, Shinji. When have I ever lied to you?"

Taking her word, Shinji finally relaxed and buried his head into Skidoo's fur. It actually felt good, her arms wrapped around him like this. As he managed to drift back to sleep, he could have sworn he felt Asuka bury her head into his back before dazing out completely. Deep down, he was hoping that she had lied to him about letting go. Shinji wanted to savor this moment now before he woke up tomorrow and Asuka returned back to her normal, hot-headed self.

He would get his wish.

That whole night, through every sound of thunder and crack of lightning, through the cries of the Zubat in the very back of the cave, and through the unknown dangers being concocted by Seele above, Asuka broke her promise until the break of dawn.

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_A Morning Visitor!_

_Bardiel's Plan Advances!_


	15. Stage 15: Winding Woods 4 - The Stranger

**Next update might not be for a while; I've got a few papers for classes to work on. Hopefully this can hold you guys over!**

**Don't forget to leave a review if you enjoyed :)**

* * *

"So you have it under control?"

The loading bay of the Seele VTOL carrier was silent, a black void with storage boxes full of weaponry and EVA drones, deactivated in cocoon like pods lining the walls. Two figures were standing in a space between the vertical pods by an escape hatch; one of them, the larger one, was projecting a hologram from the Pokégear imbedded into his black armor. The other was waiting patiently, with his hands in his pockets and an empty smile on his young face.

"Completely, Bardiel," the holographic image of Iruel answered, "I am still putting together just who it was who attempted to hack into my personal files, but I should know the culprit's identity in due time, yes. Whomever it was who tried to use Arael's server should have known he does not have the technical knowledge to even crack a password on the simplest of security systems. Still, I have him under quarantine back here at the base along with Armisael, yes. Being cautious has never brought harm to anyone… except for the captured, yes?"

"That is true," Bardiel smirked, "It is quite _unfortunate_ that those two had to be framed in this matter. They may have become fine pawns of ours."

"How long do you wish for me to keep them under locks?"

"Allow for the other Angels to hear of the incident; inform them if you must. Once that is done, dispose of them however you like. We must let the real hackers believe we don't suspect them. That'll make it much more amusing for us when we catch them. I can already imagine the baffled looks on their faces right before they die by my hand…"

The scientist cackled on the other line. "Ho-ho! Your ruthlessness knows no bounds, yes?"

"Life and death make the world turn, Iruel. I look forward to hearing how Arael and Armisael met their demise. Bardiel out." The hologram disappeared back into the armored Angel's wrist. Bardiel's companion shifted his weight to his other foot and let out a single laugh. "Do you find something funny, Kaworu?"

The grey haired boy shook his head in disagreement smiling the whole time. Bardiel could never tell when this boy was honest or lying. "Not at all. It is just, for you and Iruel being comrades, you treat him coldly. Aren't allies supposed to be close and not apathetic of each other?"

"You're thinking too much," Bardiel opened a hatch on the wall that led to an escape pod, "You were born for one thing, and one thing only, and it was _not_ to ponder. Have you _forgotten_ what that is?"

"Of course not," Kaworu stepped through the hatch and buckled himself into his seat, "I am to serve you, and only you. Anyone else is an enemy."

"Good. Now, you know your mission. Find your target. Do not stray from your path. If any other Angels appear, avoid them at all costs. If they see you working on your own, they will surely suspect something. _You_ are my trump card, Kaworu. Our victory depends solely on you right now. If you fail, then I fail. And then, _you_ die. Understood?"

"Understood," the young Angel replied emotionlessly, right as the sliding doors closed shut. Bardiel pressed the launch button and set the pod loose from the ship into the night sky, activating the cloaking device the moment it detached. Kaworu sat inside the invisible pod as it plummeted towards the forest below, feeling the whiplash of the parachutes open and slow his descent. He activated his Pokégear, projecting a rough map of the forest, as well as a picture of his target. "See you in the morning, Shinji-kun."

* * *

Dawn, and the rain had finally stopped. Not a single drop had penetrated through Gardevoir's barrier into the cave, the fire inside still burning bright. The sound of Starly's chattering outside was loud enough to awaken Shinji, the boy slowly opening his eyes and then closing them as the dawn rays of the sun shone right into them. As he went to raise his hands to rub his eyes, he realized that Asuka's arms were no longer wrapped around him. Shinji looked over his shoulder to see if the girl was still there, but she was nowhere to be seen. _'I wonder where she went…'_

'**Good morning, Shinji,'** Riolu greeted from above, standing on Skiddo's back looking down at his master, **'Did you sleep well?'**

"Yeah, I did," Ikari smiled, patting the Pokémon on the head, "Did you see Asuka at all?"

'**I did not, but Gardevoir did. She told me Miss Soryu woke her around sunrise to remove the barrier so she could go outside.'**

"Oh…" the boy sighed, looking to the now unsealed cave mouth. He really wished she would have at least stuck around long enough to say 'good morning'. She must've not wanted Ayanami or the Pokémon to see her in such a vulnerable position sleeping beside him, especially since she went far enough to wake Gardevoir to let her outside. As Shinji went to stretch he saw Rei on the other side of the cave eating breakfast with her Pokémon. "Morning, Rei."

"Ikari," the girl acknowledged as she took a bite from a piece of bread toasted over the fire. Shinji and Riolu sat down and joined her by the flames, which Combusken was still lying in. "Would you like some bread?"

"Sure," Ikari smiled, taking a slice in his hand. He immediately flung the hot food into the air as it made contact with his fingers, juggling it clumsily before it plopped down to the floor. "…Do you have anything to hold this with?' Rei looked to Gardevoir, who used her psychic power to hold the bread in the air, spinning it slowly to cool it down. Shinji was stunned that the blue haired girl had been able to hold the toast in its searing hot state. "How could you hold that when it was so hot, Rei? Your fingers have to be pretty burnt!"

Ayanami gazed down at her red right hand, clenching it. She winced as her fingers curled up as she made a fist. "They… hurt now. When I move them, it feels like needles pricking my fingers."

"I can fix that," Shinji rushed over and grabbed his bag. When he returned he pulled out a cold water bottle and handed it out to Rei. "Here, hold this for a while. It'll take the pain away."

Ayanami took the bottle from him, accidentally brushing his fingers with hers. She jerked back, afraid that the boy would reject her touching him.

"You okay?" Shinji asked, shocked at her reaction to simply touching him.

"…Yes," Rei blushed slightly, taking the bottle. The girl slowly brought her hand to her chest, grasping the cold bottle tenderly. "I feel… better now. Thank you."

Gardevoir levitated the cooled down toast into Shinji's hands. The boy thanked the Pokemon as he took a bite. "So_-mph-_ I think we can get out of this forest by the end of the afternoon, if we fly on Altaria. I'm guessing that now the storm's over she's good for flying."

'**Yup!'** Altaria cried cheerfully, spreading her wings, **'The sun's shining and I'm ready to glide!'**

"She sure looks happy to go," Shinji smiled, "I guess we can head out as soon as Asuka comes back. Everyone okay with that?"

Ayanami and the Pokémon nodded in agreement, minus Combusken. Still asleep in the fire, the fighting chicken stirred as he muttered in his dreams. **'Ngh, **_**right there**_**, Gardevoir… **_**Scratch that itch…'**_

'_**Oh my…!'**_ Poor Gardevoir blushed intensely as Riolu's eyes widened in shock and disgust, which Shinji couldn't help but notice.

"What is it, Riolu? Did you say something?"

'…**You'd rather not know…'**

* * *

"This is so degrading…"

Having returned to the pond they had ran by, Asuka stood underneath a small stream of water running over the rocky outcrop. She constantly glanced behind her into the woods to make sure nobody was peeping on her naked body as she bathed. She didn't know what was worse: that, or the fact she had to actually shower in the woods like some kind of primitive savage!

'_**KARP!'**_

Asuka looked down at her feet where her Magikarp was swimming in circles in the water. For once the dumb fish was expressing an emotion other than clueless as he happily looped around her legs.

"At least you're enjoying this," Soryu muttered, as she blindly reached for her shampoo sitting on a rocky ledge. Her hand grabbed for the bottle, but accidentally knocked it into the water below.

"_Dammit!"_ she cursed, bending down to retrieve it. The bottle floated out of her grasp through the waterfall and into the exposed pond. Asuka bit her lip; she really didn't want to go out into the open completely naked, but then her hair wouldn't be in pristine condition as it should be. Making a quick decision, she let out a sigh. "…Gotta be quick about this."

Asuka leaned her upper torso through the waterfall, reaching out with her arm to snag the shampoo. To her surprise, the first thing she saw was not the forest edge across the pond. No, it was a face with grey hair and red eyes smiling at her with an ethereal grin. As Asuka's eyes widened in shock and surprise, the stranger slowly offered to her the bottle of shampoo she was looking for.

"I believe this is yours," the stranger smiled, unaware to the fuse in Asuka that had just snapped.

_*WHAM!*_

Asuka's foot collided with his forehead and sent him down into the water. She quickly covered her chest with her arms as she glared menacingly at the grey haired boy. "_Pervert!_ I should kill you for this! How long were you spying on me, you bastard?!"

"Spying?" the stranger sat up, rubbing his head, "I was doing no such thing. I merely saw that bottle fall through the water as I walked by, and felt the need to investigate."

"Oh, is that your excuse?!" Soryu spat, "That's a pretty bad one, if you ask me!"

"So you see reality as unbelievable? What a fascinating mindset, if not a flawed one."

Asuka felt her anger towards the boy turn more to curiosity. What would seem like sarcastic comments were being said with honest-to-goodness sincerity. Just the way this boy looked and talked reminded her of Wonder Girl… Maybe he's from NERV? She pondered asking him, but then realized that informing him of the organization might not be the best thing to do. "Who are you? And _stop looking at me!_ Turn your head!"

"My apologies," he answered, turning his back to her, "My name is Kaworu Nagisa. I've been lost in these woods for a couple days, with only slight rations left in my bag. I was hoping to encounter someone who could possibly assist me and lead me out of these woods to Hoatzin City. Would you happen to be heading there?"

"And what if I am?" Asuka sneered, "Do you expect me to let a strange pervert like you just follow us out of here?"

"So you are not alone?"

'_Aw, crap…'_ Asuka regretted her words; now he knew that she wasn't going solo. "Look, here's the deal. Go over to the shore and wait for me to decide. Got it?"

Kaworu closed his eyes and smirked. "Decide what, exactly?"

"Whether or not you actually _deserve_ my help."

As the girl ducked back behind the waterfall, Nagisa made his way to land. Shaking his hair dry, he dug into his pocket and pulled out a communicator. He dried it off quickly before dialing up his superior.

* * *

There were many times when Bardiel wished he could just choke the life from his fellow Angels: This was one of those times. Positioned at the head of a rectangular table with Zeruel and Sahaquiel's four member squad seated before him, the 13th Angel had become impatient with their squabbles. The moment Matarael and Sandalphon began to argue about something (it was so trivial Bardiel had failed to notice exactly what it was) the whole meeting had lost any professionalism. He sat patiently, arms folded as he awaited an important call. And then, just in time, his wish was granted as a beep emitted from his mask.

'_Perfect,'_ he smirked, standing from his seat, '_He's found them.'_ Inconspicuously he rested his head on his hand, answering the call with the press of a finger. Bardiel had to be secretive about his actions here; no one else bar him and a few others knew of Tabris' role in the mission, and it had to be kept in the dark to actually succeed.

"Speak," he muttered, turning slightly to the side, "And be quick about it." Unbeknownst to him, Zeruel noticed his subtle change of position, and was watching him from out of the corner of his mask.

"I've made contact with one of them," Tabris responded, "The one named Asuka Langley Soryu. Neither Ayanami nor Ikari are in the premises, but I've convinced her to take me to them. I will update you on my status once the next phase has been initiated."

"Excellent. Go ahead and keep with them. You know what to do from here on. Bardiel out." The armored Angel deactivated his communicator and stood up to leave: Now it was his turn to act.

"Where do you think you're going, Bardiel?" Zeruel demanded loudly, immediately ceasing Matarael and Sandalphon's arguing, "You have yet to finish informing us of the plan."

If he wasn't wearing a mask, Bardiel would've spit in Zeruel's direction; the brute had noticed, he knew something was up. "Stay seated. I'll be back momentarily."

"What're you gonna do?" Sandalphon asked, snickering, "You don't go to the bathroom, remember?"

"Last I checked, you don't have the authority to question me. Learn your place, Sandalphon, or I will put you in it."

Bardiel slid out through the doorway, leaving the suspicious Angels to talk amongst themselves. They were much more of a burden now; he would have to dispose of them much sooner than he had originally planned. But right now Bardiel didn't have the time to concoct a plan for their fates. There was work to be done.

Walking swiftly through the corridors of the large aircraft, the Angel made his way to a small dark room near the hangar bay. Sitting inside was a coffin-like chest, that when stood up on its end would be considerably taller than Bardiel. With the snapping of Bardiel's fingers the container's lid opened with a hiss as cold air emitted from the inside. Slowly, a robotic figure arose like a vampire from its crypt, pushing the coffin lid away as it gazed at its master with its beaming red visor.

"EVA – C Mark 06," Bardiel stated firmly as the unit stood to its feet, towering a whole foot higher than its master, "You have been pre-programmed with the mission plan, so I will waste no time in briefing you. Cloak yourself and depart."

The Mark 06 nodded. Its visor flashed a bright white color before its entire blue and yellow armor turned completely invisible. Bardiel left the small dark room as the Mark 06 pulled open the air lock and jumped out into the sky, diving down towards the canopy of the forest. The invisible unit knew it's one and only mission could not be altered in the slightest, but did not know the reason why. It was a mindless shell after all; just another one of Iruel's failed attempts at creating the perfect replacement chassis for Bardiel in case something went awry. Of course the Mark 06 itself did not know this. All that its digital mind contained was the knowledge required for its mission to succeed… and that was how to hunt children.

* * *

By the time Shinji and Rei were ready to depart, Asuka had returned to the cave with the unexpected tagalong. Shinji was quite uneasy about the boy named Kaworu when he learned of the odd, perverted way he and Soryu came into contact. His almost permanently smirking face made him seem cocky and careless, like nothing in the world could faze him in the slightest. And his red eyes… Maybe meeting him was something set up by NERV, just like with Rei. The organization must have a fetish for pale, red-eyed children, he assumed.

As he was strapping the group's belongings onto Altaria, Shinji noticed that Nagisa was standing off to the side, watching himwith the same grin on his face and hands in his pockets. One Pokéball hung from his belt; a green and black Dusk Ball. _'I wonder what's in there…'_

Ikari wasn't the only one to see the newcomer merely standing off to the side. "Hey!" Asuka barked, pointing at Kaworu, "I let you come with us, so you better help Baka-Shinji pack!"

"Really?" Nagisa raised an eyebrow at the redhead, "This is coming from the girl lounging about drinking a can of soda. Do you not see the irony in this situation?" The can of soda in question zoomed right past Kaworu's head, grazing the tips of his ashy hair. Getting the message, he sighed and picked up the heaviest bag.

"It's best to ignore her," Shinji whispered, "She actually can be pretty nice when she wants to. I'm still shocked she let you come along with us."

Kaworu hoisted the heavy bag onto Altaria's back, then closed his eyes. "The emotions of the human soul are a strange thing indeed. At times the soul feels sympathy for the unfortunate, then in an instant it whips up the most violent of rages. And then, just as quick, it can be overcome by pure _adoration_… Wouldn't you say, _Shinji-kun_?"

"_Eh-?!"_ Blushing a bright red, Ikari quickly turned his face away, not sure how to reply. "Um… I-I guess, I don't know…"

Nagisa laughed as he nudged a little closer to Shinji. "You're stuttering. Do I make you nervous?"

"_Ready to go, Asuka!" _Shinji's words ran together as he quickly made his way away from Nagisa. Snickering at her friend's embarrassment, Asuka kicked herself to her feet.

"Well, well," she said to Ayanami, clicking her tongue, "It's no wonder that grey haired freak didn't gawk when he saw my body; he's playing for our team!"

"I do not understand," Rei stated flatly, "What team are we participating with other than NERV?"

"Sheesh, for being an elite agent or whatever you are, you're pretty dense. It means he likes _boys!_ You know, just like us? Or don't you like anything?"

Ayanami looked down to her feet. "…I like things. I like my Pokémon, and they like me back."

"That _isn't_ what I meant," Asuka spat, shooting a quick glance at Shinji. He was talking with Riolu, looking behind his back at Nagisa like he was a predator stalking him. Her attention shifted to Kaworu for an instant, who gave her a smug smile and a wink that almost set her off right then and there. She, somehow, managed to keep her composure. "…I'm talking about _boys._"

"Boys?"

"Yeah. Like, there isn't a boy you like so much you can't stop thinking about him?"

"…I like Ikari."

Asuka's breath caught in her throat at Ayanami's words. "Well sorry to disappoint you, but Baka-Shinji is _waaay_ too dense to realize someone likes him like _that_."

"I like Ikari because he is nice to me. No other person has ever been that nice to me. No one has ever tried to be my friend. When I touched him earlier-"

"What do mean, you _touched_ him?!" Soryu cringed. What were those two doing while she was gone?!

"…When our fingers touched in that instant, I felt… _warm_ inside. It felt good. I wonder… If _he_ felt the same way."

"I doubt it," Asuka said with a huff, "Baka-Shinji is incapable of that kind of feeling. He has no sense of empathy for others, even when... even when they try their hardest to let him know how alone and hurt they feel. He's just too damn selfish."

Rei saw straight through Asuka's alluded comments. The redhead was wrong; Ikari wouldn't have felt so stricken by what happened to her mother if he didn't care about her. Rei couldn't tell her this obviously, for breaking Ikari's promise would be wrong. And, strangely, she felt compelled _not_ to tell Asuka how Shinji felt. What was this feeling within her, telling her to keep Ikari to herself?

"Hey!" Shinji called again, "You two all ready to fly out?"

"Yeah, yeah…" Asuka groaned as Combusken ran up beside her, "C'mon, Wonder Girl. Time to fly our asses out of these stupid wo-

_*WHOOM!*_

The group's heads spun to the trees behind them, where something had just suddenly fallen out of the sky. Flocks of bird Pokémon flew away from the impact site only a couple hundred yards away, as a huge cloud of dust rose over the canopy. Shinji tried peering through the forest undergrowth to see what exactly had just fallen, but couldn't see through the thick brown dust floating in the air.

'**What the hell was that?!'** Combusken shouted, to no one in particular.

'**Whatever it is,'** answered Riolu, **'I doubt that it is friendly. We should probably be **_**going now, **_**Shinji.'**

"Sounds good to me," his trainer answered, turning to the others. "Hurry, let's get outta here!"

To the notice of nobody, the screen of Kaworu's Pokégear was blinking on and off: the homing device had been activated. _'There is no point in running now. The plan is in full motion.'_

As she took a look over her shoulder into the dust, Asuka saw an approaching silhouette. It was tall and human-like, with some kind of horn-like projection jutting out from its head. A single glowing visor shined through the cloud, focused directly on her. _"Aw, crap!_ It's coming towards us! What the hell _is_ that thing?!"

Soryu felt a tug on her arm, and saw Ayanami pulling her towards Altaria. "It is an EVA," she said coldly, "A tool of Seele. It is probably after the artifact. We _must_ evacuate."

"We should _fight it!_ All of us together-"

"No. Only I may stand a chance. You and Ikari would surely perish. I must fulfill my mission and protect you at all costs."

'**Do what the girl says, Asuka!'** Combusken urged, **'Even **_**I**_** know when we should run the hell away!'**

Finally listening to reason, Soryu turned and ran to Altaria, with Ayanami close behind. With all of them on board the dragon, Rei was about to give the order to take off when Shinji realized something (someone, to be precise) was missing.

"Where is it?" Ikari panicked, searching through his bag and feeling his belt, "No, no! How'd he fall off?!"

"Whatever it is, we're leaving it!" Asuka yelled as she looked into the woods, "That thing's getting closer by the second!"

"_I-I can't find Skidoo's Pokéball!"_

"Wha-?" Soryu didn't have the chance to finish before a beam of light flashed right above her and the other's heads. The EVA's eye beam had narrowly missed vaporizing them by just a few feet! _"God-dammit, Shinji!_ How could you leave your Pokémon behind at a time like _this?!"_

"There he is!" Leaping over Soryu, Shinji dived towards the ground where Skiddo's Pokeball was lying right in the line of fire. Close behind him was Kaworu, who jumped off Altaria after him.

"Ikari…!" Ayanami gasped, her usually calm demeanor completely shocked by the boy's risky action. On the opposite end of the spectrum was Asuka, who was filled with rage and fear.

"_Baka-Shinji!"_ she screamed, "Get back here! That thing's gonna kill you! _Shinji!"_

Standing on the edge of Altaria's wing, Riolu was ready to make the jump after his trainer.** 'I'm coming, Shinji!'**

"No!" Ikari yelled, holding his Pokéball close to his chest, "All of you, fly away! Me and Kaworu will catch up with you later! Just get to safety!"

'**But Shinji-'**

"_GO!"_ Another beam of light barely missed Shinji's head; he would have been gone if Nagisa hadn't tackled him to the ground. Honoring his trainer's command, Riolu reluctantly held his position. Asuka peered down at the boy, taking his image in for a good while before averting her gaze; she wouldn't have the will to live if she saw him vaporized before her eyes.

_'Damn you, Shinji…_ _Don't die on me…'_

Getting off of Ikari, Kaworu gestured for the boy to stay low to the ground. "Head to the cave," he ordered, pointing to its mouth, "We'll stay hidden in there for now until we come up with a plan."

"Alright," Shinji nodded, "Let's go!" The two dashed as fast as they could into the cavern as the Mark 06 stepped into view. Its visor scanned over the both of them, identifying which one was the carrier of the artifact, and which one was his master's ally. Ignoring the departing Altaria in the sky, it silently walked towards the cave and into its dark shadows where its prey now dwelled.

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Survive In The Dark!_

_Mark 06 Pursues Shinji and Kaworu!_


	16. Stage 16: Winding Woods 5 - Hunted

**Back again guys and gals, this time with the last installment of The Winding Woods saga!**

**Read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

Stumbling through the dark passageways of the cave, with nothing but his Pokégear as a source of light, Shinji fought to keep up with Kaworu as he led him deeper and deeper into the caverns. By now they had to have outpaced the EVA Unit pursuing them; the distance they were putting between them now was for good measure. Still, Shinji constantly shot looks behind him in case the metal hunter had somehow managed to catch up. As he glanced back this time, he missed seeing Nagisa stopping abruptly in front of him, and the two boys ended up in a heap on the rocky floor.

"Sorry!" Ikari apologized, rubbing a bruise on his forehead.

Brushing it off with a smile, Nagisa stood and helped Shinji to his feet. "I think we have left it behind for now," Kaworu leaned up against the cave wall, wiping the sweat from his brow, "But I fear it will catch up before long."

Tired as well, Shinji slumped down beside him and released Skidoo from his Pokéball. The goat looked around and blinked in confusion. **'Hey… I thought we were leavin' this place?'**

"_Sssh!"_ Shinji hushed the bleating Pokémon, "Keep it down a little, Skidoo. We're not safe right now."

'**Oh… gotcha…'**

The boys were silent for some time. Kaworu was listening for the Mark 06's heavy footsteps, but heard nothing but the dripping of moisture from stalactites hitting the floor. He slinked down to Shinji's level, purposely brushing shoulders with him. The latter jerked away at his touch.

Kaworu raised an eyebrow at Ikari. "Is something the matter?"

"No…" Shinji lied. While he couldn't say it to his face, everything about Kaworu's actions made him uncomfortable. It was like he couldn't take a hint that he was in no way interested in _that_ kind of relationship with another boy. Shinji decided to try and change the subject to avoid any more awkwardness. "We should probably think of a plan to get out of here."

"Indeed," Nagisa nodded, "If we stay in one place for too long, that drone will find us. Our main problem is it cornering us, so we should not go any deeper into the cave; there could be multiple dead ends that could trap us."

"And then there's actually stopping it," Shinji added, "If we have to backtrack, we're going to run into it again for sure. And if that thing decides to fire any more laser beams or whatever that was it shot out there, then both we _and_ it are going to be in trouble."

"It is not foolish enough to unleash that amount of firepower inside a cave. I can assure you that will not be a problem."

Shinji sighed a breath of relief. "Let's hope so." He then remembered what Ayanami had said to Asuka outside as the drone attacked them. "I think I heard Rei say this thing was called an EVA."

"You have good ears, Shinji-kun," Kaworu smirked; now that Shinji knew what the Mark 06 was, he could get him to "inform" him of NERV and Seele. Speaking as if he didn't know of these things was becoming quite challenging. "It is amazing you could hear her through the chaos. I believe she mentioned something called Seele as well?"

"Do you know about them? They were just in the news recently, with the attack in Merganser Town and all."

"So that is where I recognized the name. Why then would they be pursuing you?"

"That's… kind of a secret."

"Oh. You don't trust me, I see. Have I done something to make myself appear untrustworthy?"

"No, not at all! It's just, you know, I've only known you for like half-an-hour. Not really much time to be sharing secrets with you"

"Then what if I shared a secret with you?"

"Huh?" Shinji looked at him from the corner of his eye, "That seems like a little much, doesn't it?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, strangers aren't usually ready to sharing their secrets with another stranger. That's something friends do."

"I see…" On the inside Nagisa was becoming frustrated. What was he doing wrong? He was acting like what Bardiel described a friend as; why wasn't Ikari complying? Kaworu decided to use another tactic: guilt. "Then you do not consider me a friend?"

'_Aw, man…'_ Shinji bit his lip; he couldn't bear to hurt Nagisa's feelings, even if he was a bit strange. All the grey haired boy seemed to want was a friend, and it was almost pitiful at how hard he was trying to become chummy (and more so) with him. Giving in, Shinji faced Kaworu; he felt just as he did when he told Rei about Asuka's mother. "You can't tell anyone that I'm telling you this, okay? Not Asuka, not Ayanami, not anyone. I'm technically breaking the law by doing this."

"Understood."

Shinji told Kaworu everything. NERV, Seele, Ayanami's identity, his mission, what little he knew about the artifact; nothing was looked over. Nagisa listened intently, especially about the artifact. Any new detail regarding it would have to be relayed directly to Bardiel ASAP.

"And this artifact," Nagisa asked, stopping Shinji, "You are just carrying this ancient relic around with you in your backpack?"

"Yeah," Shinji laughed nervously, "It's really the safest way we have to do it. Nobody would ever suspect a boy and his friends walking through the woods would ever be carrying something so valuable and rare in his backpack, right?"

"I certainly did not, so I can imagine no one else would either. And your backpack is safe?"

"I packed it onto Altaria just before the attack. Asuka and Rei will take good care of it…" Thinking of those two reminded Shinji of Riolu as well. "They're all probably worried about us right now."

"Unless they assume we have-" Kaworu stopped mid-sentence. The sound of heavy footsteps was echoing in the cave; the Mark 06 was coming closer. "It's coming!" he whispered, quickly getting to his feet, "I'll think of a plan as we run!"

"Right!" Shinji returned Skidoo to his ball, grasping it tight as they ran back the way they came. Out of Shinji's view, a concerned look spread across Kaworu's face. Things were going just as planned, but something was bothering the Angel that he couldn't quite figure out. There was something about Shinji that made him feel… strange for deceiving him. Whatever it was, it would have to wait until they were in the clear again. The Mark 06 was programmed to track Kaworu's every move, and whatever time of solace they would get would have to be used very, very wisely. For while the EVA unit identified the Angel as an ally for now, that would soon change once the mission reached its peak and the real challenge began.

* * *

"I can't believe him!"

Not too far away from the cave, Rei had landed Altaria in a small clearing full of wildflowers. Almost immediately as the dragon had touched ground, Asuka had leapt off its back and kicked a patch of flowers in frustration. _'That idiot!' _she snarled, _'What the hell was he thinking?!'_

"Please calm yourself."

Asuka froze, glaring behind her at Wonder Girl. "_What_ did you just say?"

"Being furious will only make you feel worse. Ikari will return."

"You don't know that!" Soryu stormed over, shoving her finger into Rei's chest, "Did you even see that thing?! It was a freakin' robot shooting laser beams out of its damn eyes! You said yourself we didn't stand a chance against it! And _now_ you say he'll be fine?! Where the hell is your mind right now?!"

'**Hey,'** Combusken hopped off Altaria alongside Riolu and Gardevoir in an attempt to calm his trainer's anger, **'Just take it easy, alright? Takin' it out on her ain't gonna solve a thing.'**

Asuka ignored her Pokémon and kept her rage focused on Ayanami. "This is all your fault, you know? You're a NERV agent! You should've done your job and attacked that thing! We'd all be here right now if you weren't such a _coward!_"

'**Ms. Soryu, please,'** Riolu urged, hoping to get through to the girl, **'You're afraid, that is all. There's no need for this.'**

"…I am not a coward." Rei stated calmly, much to Asuka's disbelief. The redhead had had just about enough of the NERV girl, and was going to do something she'd been holding back ever since she met her.

*SMACK!*

Ayanami fell to the ground, her hand grasping the stinging cheek Asuka had just slapped. Her attacker was breathing heavily, still in shock at what she had just done. The only person she had ever struck in pure anger before was Sachiel a few days ago, but that was because the terrorist was trying to kill her; now she had struck Ayanami, who had only been trying to help her. And even though this rage had been building inside of her for so long, seeing Rei lying on the ground in pain made Asuka almost regret what she had just done. The wave of guilt crashed over her when Gardevoir appeared beside her trainer and projected a barrier between the girls.

'_**Stay back!'**_ Gardevoir ordered, glaring at Soryu, **'Never lay a hand on her **_**ever again!**_**'**

"I- I didn't …" Asuka stammered, before rage consumed her again, _"God dammit!"_ The redhead let out an angry scream before storming out into the field of flowers to calm herself down.

'**Asuka!'** Combusken prepared to run after his trainer, but Riolu jumped in front of him.

'**Let her go,'** the little Fighting type murmured, **'She needs to be alone. You should know this.'**

'**I guess you're right,'** Combusken sat down on the ground and looked over at Ayanami, **'…You don't think that this'll hurt my chances with Gardevoir at all, do ya?'**

'**I'm not even going to dignify that with a response.'**

When she felt far enough away from the others, Asuka fell back into the endless sea of multi-colored flowers, staring up at the sky. It was peacefully quiet; not a single wild Pokemon was in the field or in the sky. She could feel her anger lifting from her body as the sweet smell of the plants enveloping her senses. If she was any other girl, this place would make her forget completely about Wonder Girl and Baka-Shinji.

She couldn't believe it, but Asuka knew she had to apologize to Ayanami, but only if Shinji came back. If he was to die because Ayanami… no, _herself_ and Ayanami, didn't even try and fight back, then what point would there be in living without the only thing you truly care for?

"God dammit… I'm pathetic."

'**Hi there!'**

Hearing a cheerful little voice, Asuka sat up and looked around the meadow for its source. It took a few moments for her to discover that the voice was projected into her mind. "…Who's there?" she asked nervously, "What are you?"

'**Don't worry,'** the voice answered, **'I'm not gonna hurt you. That'd be pretty mean!'**

"Show yourself then!" Soryu ordered forcefully. Suddenly a raft of sweet aroma filled the air as the flowers surrounding her seemed to become brighter. "What the hell is this…?"

'**Oh, that. That's just a side effect of my powers. Flowers and plants become healthier whenever I'm around. It's kinda my job in life, you know?'**

"Really now?" Asuka narrowed her eyes, "You still haven't shown yourself yet. Got something to hide?"

'**Nope. I'm right down here!' **The girl looked down between her legs at what appeared to be a minuscule hedgehog with a blooming bush on its back smiling cheerfully up at her. **'I was here the whole time, actually. I just wanted to see if you had anything to say."**

Then a wave of realization hit Asuka like a brick. This was no ordinary Pokémon! She had remembered hearing of it in tales of mythology and legends before! This was the Pokémon of eternal gratitude, the creator of the Gracidia flower! _"Y-You're Shaymin!"_

'**Yup!'** the little hedgehog beamed, hoping up onto her leg. A flower sprouted from the spot it had just leapt from. **'The one and only! You're lucky, you know? I usually don't visit humans passing by that much! You seemed a little down, so I felt I'd come cheer ya up!'**

Asuka looked away from the tiny Pokémon, folding her arms. "I didn't ask for your sympathy."

'**I know that. I just wanna know why you aren't happy, that's all.'**

"…It's none of your business."

'**Oh,'** Shaymin frowned, shaking its bushy back, **'But you know, being sad and grumpy isn't a good way to spend your life. You should be thankful for the things you have, you know?'**

"You don't think I am?" Soryu snapped back, "I don't have much, but I'm damn thankful for it! But why should I be happy when one of them tells me to just leave him to die?! What should I do then, huh?!"

'**You know…'** the little hedgehog sprang up onto her shoulder, licking her on the cheek. **'Sometimes, you just gotta do what you think is right. You might be going against your friends, but the most important thing about being you is doing what you want to do. Be thankful for being able to be yourself. That's what makes people and Pokémon unique. Our self-awareness and righteousness is a gift from God. We shouldn't just toss it away, even if you think it's as withered as a dying seedling. Because, with enough love, nurture, and a little faith, that little seedling can turn into the most magnificent tree.'**

For a moment Asuka pondered the tiny creature's words; for such an innocent looking thing, it sure knew how to talk. With a smirk, she stood up and cupped Shaymin in her hands. "You really believe that plant can grow? Tell me just how you know it'll get enough love."

'**Like I said, you gotta have faith. How it turns out is all up to you.'**

"…How about you let me catch you, eh?"

'**Hmm… How about no?'**

A bright green light illuminated from Shaymin's body, shining so brightly that Asuka dropped him from her hands. When the girl opened her eyes, the little Pokémon was nowhere in sight, having vanished back into the endless field of flowers that it was guardian over.

"Dammit," Asuka huffed, "Would've liked to have had him…" She sighed and looked up to the clouds above as she started to walk her way back to Ayanami and the Pokemon, thinking of some apology that won't make her look like a sorry fool. "Gotta have faith, huh?"

Far away and hidden in the field Shaymin watched happily as the girl left. **'Making the world a better place, one person at a time… Best part-time job in the world, if I do say so myself...'**

* * *

When Shinji and Kaworu encountered the Mark 06 again as they ran through the cave, they only narrowly escaped its grasp. The drone, knowing better than to use its visor laser, unveiled its signature weapon against them: a large, crimson spear ending in a giant arrowhead point. Not even Nagisa knew the EVA had this weapon. It had pulled it from its chest in a retracted form, and extended the baton-sized rod into a seven foot long spear in the blink of an eye. Just the sight of the weapon had sent Shinji running for his life, leaving Kaworu to dodge the Mark 06's single strike which had almost proven fatal if he had not narrowly leapt out of the way. The Angel had fled as the drone struggled to pull the spear from a boulder, but he didn't get much of a lead on it.

'_Damn!'_ Kaworu looked behind him to see if the EVA was on his tail, '_I knew it would treat me as an enemy soon enough, but not this soon! Bardiel had this one programmed too maliciously!' _He rounded a corner, then another before an arm pulled him into a wide crevice in the wall.

"Are you alright?" Shinji whispered, "Is it getting closer?"

Nagisa peeked out the crack; he couldn't see the drone but he could hear its footsteps. "It is. It will be upon us in only a matter of time."

"What're we going to do? Do you have a plan?"

"…I believe so."

"What is it?" Shinji stepped towards him excitedly, "What do I have to do?"

"Absolutely nothing, Shinji-kun," Kaworu smiled, pulling the Dusk Ball from his waist, "Leave the work all to _me_."

Standing motionless at the end of the the dark tunnel, Mark 06's sensors detected the sound of the talking boys. It intensified the glow of its visor, illuminating the area in a red glow. Then, slinking out from a crevice in the wall, a figure emerged. He stood wide open, pockets in his hands and defenseless before Mark 06.

"Target acquired," the EVA announced, twirling the spear in its hand as it approached the boy, "Preparing to terminate Kaworu Nagisa."

Nagisa just smiled at the EVA, even as it stood towering above him. It pulled its spear back behind it, ready to thrust it through the boy's chest. "Are you sure you want to do that?"

One of the Mark 06's yellow eyes shined through the visor. "I am following orders. Free will is irrelevant. _Perish_."

The spear tip shot towards Kaworu's chest, milliseconds away from ending his life. The boy closed his eyes and grinned, his human teeth turning into sharp fangs. "Heh…Stupid robot."

Suddenly the Mark 06's target jumped up, its feet landing on the shaft of the spear. The EVA unit was too surprised at the "boy's" skill to dodge the incoming Night Slash aimed at its face.

"Hngh!" The Mark 06's hand clutched its visor, which had been slashed clean in half by the attack. Its one good eye peered through its fingers at its target, which was being overcome by an inky black shadow. The shape of Kaworu Nagisa soon began to disperse into the darkness as the being's true form took its place. What stood in its place was a slim, black wolf-like creature, with a flowing mane tied at the end by a blue sphere. The Pokémon snarled at the Mark 06, which was picking its lance up from the ground.

"That's incredible!" From the crevice, Shinji peeked out in awe at the Pokémon standing its ground against the EVA, "I've never seen anything like that before!"

"It is the power of Zoroark," Kaworu answered, "The only Pokémon with nearly perfected illusionist skills. In its hands, deception truly becomes deadly."

The Zoroark let out a feral growl as it leapt at the Mark 06, its claws emanating with dark energy. As the Mark 06 tried to skewer it with its spear, the Dark type veered its course and latched onto the cave wall.

'**Burn!'** Zoroark took in a deep breath and exhaled an intense stream of fire from its jaws, engulfing the Mark 06. The EVA's armor began to melt under the intense heat, but it gathered its strength to grab at the Pokémon through the flames. Its hand reached the Zoroark, but failed to grasp its neck, instead passing right through the illusion. The Mark 06 spun around to see five more copies of the Pokémon surrounding it, each ready to tear it apart.

"Is that Double Team?!" Shinji asked in amazement, which Nagisa answered with a chuckle.

"Indeed it is, Shinji-kun. You know your moves quite well. Try and guess what he's about to do next."

Shinji looked back to the battle to see the Mark 06 slash its spear through the five Zoroark, dispersing the visual illusions. Unbeknownst to it, the real Zoroark had snuck behind it, gathering its energy for its most powerful attack. By the time the EVA realized this, it was much too late: the huge orange ball of energy the Dark type had generated was ready to fire.

'**See ya!' **Zoroark grinned as the Focus Blast met the Mark 06 at point blank range. The resulting explosion shook the cave, sending a burst of energy down both ends of the tunnel. Shinji ducked down as a wave of dust swept into the crevice. As the debris cleared, he looked back out to see nothing but the waist and legs of the Mark 06 still standing only momentarily before collapsing to the ground in front of Zoroark.

"He did it!" Shinji cheered as he slipped out through the crevice. Kaworu followed shortly behind, and congratulated his Pokémon with a pat on the shoulder.

"You did well, Zoroark," Nagisa complimented. He returned the Dark type to its Pokéball and looked down at the Mark 06's remains; the Pokémon wasn't the only one who had done well.

"Should we just leave this here?" Shinji gestured to the debris of the EVA, "You don't think it'll put itself back together, do you?"

"I doubt that very much. Nothing shall happen to this wreckage if it is left in this cave to rust away. Besides, I do not believe this should be the focus of our worries."

"Then what should be?"

"Getting out of this cave would be a start."

* * *

With the Mark 06 destroyed, the only worry Shinji and Kaworu had while retracing their steps through the tunnels was running into the possible swarm of Zubat and the rare Onix; even if there was a chance encounter Zoroark could easily dispatch the threat, so the two were basically home free. The boys walked behind Skidoo using their Pokégears to light their way. Even being this deep back in the cave the goat could smell the fresh scent of the woods outside and was a perfect lead. Kaworu walked behind Shinji, unable to take his eyes off him. There was something about this boy that intrigued him, and he didn't know what. Maybe it had something to do with him confiding the secrets of NERV with him so easily; Ikari obviously saw him as trustworthy, but why? Were his earlier actions of becoming closer to him paying off? They couldn't have been. Ikari had seemed repulsed by him "invading his space" as they say. Have his feelings changed then? Was saving him enough to gain his attention? Kaworu hoped so, for the sake of the mission and, perhaps, something more. Something he couldn't quite grasp.

"Hey, Kaworu."

Nagisa left his musings and turned his attention to Shinji. "Yes?"

"You said if I told you about NERV, you'd tell me a secret in return," Ikari looked behind his shoulder at him expectantly. _"Right?"_

"I suppose I did." Kaworu bit his lip. The Angel was hoping he wouldn't remember, for he only had one secret to hold, and it was a damn big one. He wanted to lie, but felt the urge not to. He didn't want to deceive Shinji anymore. Which meant…

"Shinji, I'm-"

"I'm joking!" Shinji smiled with a little laugh, "I never expected you to actually tell me anything to begin with. Besides, you saved me and Skidoo's back there, Kaworu. I'll never forget that you did that for us."

Kaworu looked at him in surprise. He couldn't believe it: Ikari had thanked him! No one, not even Bardiel, has thanked him before! But why did that feel so important to him? Remembering the mission to keep his now joyous mind at ease, Nagisa smiled back.

"It was nothing… Shinji-kun."

'**We're close!'** Skidoo suddenly bleated out, jumping up and down before sprinting ahead, **'We're close Shinji, we're so close!'**

"Hold up, Skidoo!" Shinji yelled after his Pokémon, "Don't leave us behind!"

Just moments after running after the goat, Shinji and Kaworu could see a white glow up ahead. The smell of fresh air filled their lungs as they set foot on grass and dirt once again. Shinji flopped down onto the green, letting the sun shine over him. Smirking, Kaworu put his hands in his pockets and looked up to the sky, noticing something flying right towards them.

"Perfect timing," Nagisa muttered, "Those females can't leave us be for another moment, can they?"

'"What was that, Kaworu?" Shinji's curiosity of his words vanished as he saw Altaria flying down from the clouds, with his friends looking down at him. "Riolu! Asuka! Rei!" He stood up, waving his arms in the air like a landing guide.

'**Shinji!'** As the dragon got closer to the ground, Riolu dove leapt off its wing and into Shinji's arms, placing his palm on his forehead. **'I am relieved to see you are alright! You are alright, right?'**

"Perfectly fine, Riolu," Shinji grinned, petting the Fighting-type on the head. Nearby Altaria made a gentle landing, and Asuka hastily dismounted its back making a beeline straight towards Ikari. "Hey, Asuka- _OWW!"_

Shinji grabbed his kicked ankle in pain as Asuka glared at him, arms folded. "Baka-Shinji! Just when I thought you couldn't have gotten any dumber! What made you think telling me to leave you behind was ever a good idea?"

"I wanted you to be safe, that's all!" Ikari sat down, and started massaging his ankle.

"You idiot! Don't you get it?"

"Get what?"

Asuka knelt down, grabbing him by the collar. "We're a team, Shinji! We _don't_ leave each other behind. _Ever._ _And I mean it!_ You aren't leaving me _ever again_, you got it?!"

Ignoring the ringing in his ears from her shrieking, Shinji looked past Asuka's hostility and noticed something he hadn't before. Telling her to leave him really bothered her, much more than he had thought. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Good. So, I guess you guys dealt with that robot EVA thing, or whatever Wonder Girl called it."

"You can thank Kaworu for that one. His Zoroark completely overwhelmed it! He trained it perfectly!"

Asuka raised an eyebrow at the white-haired boy. "Oh, really?"

"I wouldn't say perfectly…" Kaworu chuckled, scratching his head sheepishly, "Though I am by no means a mediocre trainer."

Standing to his feet, Shinji noticed Rei for the first time standing beside Asuka. The pale girl looked at him with her usual expression, but with what appeared to be a faint smile on her lips. "I'm glad to see you're okay, Ikari."

"Thanks- Huh?" Shinji tilted his head slightly, looking at Rei's cheek where what appeared to be a red bruise had formed. "What happened to your cheek?"

Asuka swallowed hard, avoiding contact with Ayanami. The NERV agent shot her the quickest of glances as she made a quick excuse. "I walked into a tree."

"You… just walked into it?"

"I did not see it."

"Oh… Okay, then."

"I think we should get going!" Asuka interrupted, to make sure Shinji didn't see through Rei's terrible lie, "We've already been behind schedule long enough!"

"I guess you're right," Shinji said, returning Skidoo to his Pokéball, "Alright, everyone. Next stop, Hoatzin City!"

* * *

"So, they defeated it."

Aboard the Seele VTOL, Bardiel watched as the signal of the Mark 06 disappeared from the tracking screen. Phase one of the plane was now complete: Tabris should have gained the Ikari boy's complete trust. Now it was time for the real fun to begin. Bardiel reached for his communicator, selecting the names of the other Angels to send a simultaneous message.

"Attention, my fellow Angels," Bardiel's voice echoed throughout the VTOL, "Prepare your Pokemon and your EVA squads. We make our first assault in Hoatzin City tomorrow. Exactly when and where will be addressed once our destination and hour of attack come near. The world will know our name tomorrow, my Angels. No more lurking in the shadows, _no more hiding._ Soon we shall bask in the light of God."

The communication line shut, Bardiel chuckled to himself. _'Those fools. They have no idea…'_

The 13th Angel spun around in his seat to face the wall behind him. A large screen with the details of a sinister-looking EVA chassis, with two rows of multiple eyes and a deeply curved scythe for a weapon, beamed down on him. Bardiel may have lost the Mark 06, but that was a much more primitive option for a body than this one. Besides, as petty as it may sound, he always liked the design of the Mark 09 much, much more…

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_We've Made It!_

_Hello, Hoatzin City!_


	17. Stage 17: Arrival

**Hey guys, it's been a while. I've been busy with my college work and playing Pokemon Omega Ruby that this story took a backseat to my other priorities. I'll try to get one more stage out before the end of the year, but with finals and the holidays coming up I cannot make any promises.**

**Read, review, and enjoy!**

* * *

As Altaria flew above the treetops of the dense forest that had kept his group behind schedule for the past couple of days, they had been surrounded by the fluff of thick clouds that only the Dragon type could navigate for hours on end. Playing simple games like guess the number had become quite tiring, and the children were on the verge of death by boredom until Shinji saw a silhouette of immense skyscrapers through the Cirrus clouds. Cheers and rejoicing were almost immediate: They made it.

They had finally reached Hoatzin City.

The initial happiness out of the way, Rei instructed Altaria to fly towards the shores of the great, glistening Hoatzin Lake. Landing directly within the port metropolis was nigh impossible, with the amount of traffic bustling about; its streets were almost as dense, maybe even more so, as those of Castelia City in Unova. The lakeside was by no means barren; boats of all different sizes lined the docks, and beachgoers were plenty.

After circling over the beach a couple times, Rei spotted a clear landing spot for Altaria devoid of umbrellas or sunbathers. The descent was quick, and the children and their Pokémon were on solid ground once more.

'**Oh, land!'** Combusken was the first to touch the warm beach sand, flopping his entire body onto the fine grainy substance, **'How I've missed you!'**

"Look at this beach!" Asuka gasped, taking in the beauty of the pure blue ocean, "It's so pretty! There's no way we're leaving this city without spending some time here!"

Shinji let a handful of sand run through his fingers; it was a sensation he always enjoyed when he used to play in the sandbox. Beach sand felt even better to him, probably because it had been kissed by the gentle waves of the ocean. "I don't see anything wrong with that."

A pair of girls walking by giggled as they saw Kaworu, liking what they saw. "I must say I disagree with you, Shinji-kun." He watched the females walk away with a discomforted eye, "I clearly do not fit in here. Perhaps it's my complexion?"

"That's the point of coming here," Asuka rolled her eyes, "You and Wonder Girl could use some color. You're both white as snow! The beach is all about getting a tan and becoming beautiful. Just not as beautiful as _me_, that is."

"Your arrogance never ceases to amaze me, Soryu," Nagisa smirked. Before Asuka had the opportunity to retaliate, Rei presented the redhead her backpack.

"Here," Rei said, "Take your possessions. We must go contact Professor Akagi at a Pokémon center to confirm our arrival."

As Asuka reluctantly took her bag from Rei, she could see Gardevoir giving her a cold look from the corner of her eye. Clearly the Psychic type still held some resentment for her striking her beloved trainer. "All work and no play, huh?" Asuka snorted. She threw her bag at an unsuspecting Shinji, knocking him to the ground. "Come on, Baka-Shinji!"

Dusting the sand from his back, Shinji was helped off the ground by Nagisa. "Thanks, Kaworu."

"Don't mention it."

Riolu now stood beside Shinji, looking out into the blue ocean. **'Usually, I would want to perform my duty before having fun like Ms. Ayanami, but this place seems too enjoyable to delay a visit.'**

"Don't worry, Riolu. Once we get this thing delivered, we can have all the fun in the world."

* * *

"It's been too long, you two!"

Prof. Akagi sat at her desk, Liepard's head rested on her lap as she greeted Shinji, Asuka and Rei over the computer screen. The children had called through one of the video-phones at the Hoatzin City Pokémon Center, the central hub for all trainers in the city. People and their Pokemon bustled in the background; the roaring of an unruly Nidoking made hearing the children even more difficult. Somewhere in the mess of trainers Kaworu had become lost, splitting off to make a call of his own; to who the children knew not.

"The same to you, Professor," Shinji smiled, "How have things been?"

"Oh, you know. Fieldwork and such. It's all I really have to do anymore now that I don't have the artifact to examine. Speaking of that, how's _it_ doing?"

"Still safe and sound in the case," Asuka answered, patting Shinji's backpack, "Nothing to worry about."

"That's good to hear. And your Pokémon are growing well, I presume?"

"Well, of course. Obviously my Torchic evolved before Shinji's Riolu, me being the better trainer and all." Combusken forced his way into the view of the screen, flexing his muscles for the Professor to see.

'**Yeah, I've been workin' out,'** the Fire/Fighting type gloated, **'Gotta be strong to make it in life. Not gonna get any babes without guns like these!'**

Ritsuko chuckled at the bird's display. "It seems your Combusken has become quite strong. How about you Shinji? Is Riolu in good shape as well?"

"Uh-huh," Shinji nodded, Riolu hopping up on his shoulder, "But these aren't our only friends now." He opened the Pokéball on his belt, allowing Skidoo to show himself. "I caught Skidoo here only a couple hours after leaving home. Asuka got another Pokémon as well."

"Oh? Care to show me, Asuka?"

"Um…" Soryu bit her lip; she didn't really want to embarrass herself by showing the Professor the pathetic excuse of a Pokémon called Magikarp. "He's kind of tired right now. Maybe later, okay? Once we train some more."

"Whenever you feel he's ready, I'll be anxious to meet him."

"So, um," Shinji spoke up, "Not to be rude, but let's get back to the reason we called."

"Yes," Ritsuko took a sip of coffee, "The artifact. Tomorrow night, there is going to be a formal party at the Roark Museum of Natural History; I'd like you to attend it. There will be NERV agents attending who will gladly take _it_ off your hands. Just mention my name and you should be allowed in with no trouble."

Shinji nodded. "You can count on us, Professor."

"Guess this means I have to go buy a dress now," Asuka sighed, frowning, "And I don't even have enough money for a good one…"

"That's nothing to worry about," Akagi laughed, "I assume Miss Ayanami there with you?"

Hearing her name spoken, Rei poked her head in between Shinji and Asuka, taking up almost the entirety of the screen. "What may I do for you, Prof. Akagi?"

"Hello, Rei. It is good to see you again."

"Yes. My orders?"

"Still formal as always, I see. Anyways, as you, Asuka, and Shinji shall be attending the museum party tonight, please allow them to use the funds on your NERV card to purchase some formal attire for the event. Your budget is limitless and will be immediately covered by us, so don't make them feel afraid to get something nice."

Asuka's eyes lit up instantly. "Did you say _limitless budget?"_

"Yes, I…"

And with that, Soryu grabbed Rei and ran, all too eager to go on a shopping spree. Combusken and Gardevoir stood in the dust of their trainers' sudden departure. **'Guess we gotta go after them,' **the Fire type shrugged. Gardevoir however was much more concerned, almost furious.

'**I told her never to touch her again…'** the Psychic type leered. Placing a hand on Combusken's shoulder (much to his delight), she teleported them away in pursuit of the girls. Now it was only Shinji and his Pokémon before Prof. Akagi, bewildered at everyone's sudden departure.

"Great," Ikari mumbled, looking back at the half-dozen luggage cases behind him, "Even more for me to carry."

"It's a man's duty, Shinji," Ritsuko winked, "I suggest taking it to the hotel while you can before they come back with even more bags."

"…Hotel?"

"Oh, yes. I almost forgot to tell you about your reservations at the Casa de Paradisia. It's at the corner of 23rd Street, the big one with the glass windows. One leisure suite, two rooms, four beds, all expenses paid by NERV. How's that sound?"

"Sounds great!" Shinji smiled in excitement. This was amazing! NERV was treating them like celebrities! "Thanks Professor Akagi!"

"No, thank you. We're all so grateful for the work you and Asuka are doing for us. You're both becoming fine young trainers."

Shinji blushed at the praise. "I guess we are. I should probably go now, and get our room taken care of," Just as he was going to say goodbye he remembered something else he wanted to ask, something pretty important. "Oh! Is my mom home? I think I might call her real quick before I head out."

"I'm afraid she's out on errands, Shinji. Don't worry, I'll tell her you said hello. She'll love to hear your still thinking about her."

"Thank you, Professor. I'll call you after we hand the arti - I mean, _it,_ over."

"Take care, Shinji."

The screen went black on Ritsuko's laptop. Sighing, she spun around on her chair and stood to refill her coffee mug. Liepard tried to nuzzle its way in between the cup and the dispenser, hoping for a drip of caffeine to land on its tongue.

"Oh, no," Ritsuko scolded lightly, nudging the feline away, "I don't need you going all caffeine high again. I'm already on edge." The blonde plopped back into her chair, setting the mug aside and reaching for a cigarette. It had been a while since she had lit one up; a few days actually. "Come on, Seele," she muttered, inhaling deeply, "Just leave the kids alone this time."

* * *

Kaworu stared at the distorted face of a Finneon through the circular glass of Casa de Paradisia's aquarium, the little Water-type returning the blank gaze. The cylinder tank, which originated from the bottom floor, was the centerpiece of the divided room he, Ikari, and the girls were staying in, and was wide enough for the fish Pokémon and a couple others to swim circles in. The room itself was grand, a paradise as the hotel's name had suggested. Royal purple carpets enclosed by aqua wallpaper sprinkled with gold mosaic and veiled beds of royal aesthetic would make any guests feel like a member of the faraway Kalos region's upper class. Kaworu was not taken away by its majesty as most would. Such trivial things shouldn't have as great an impression as they do to the human mind, he believed.

The Finneon swimming away, Kaworu turned his attention from the tank to Shinji, who was unpacking his belongings onto his bed. He had set Asuka and Rei's belongings in the other room for them to sort out later, not wanting to rummage through their delicates. The Angel sighed quietly at the boy's diligence as he neatly placed his clothing in rows, Riolu watching intently from atop the headboard.

"You are quite organized, Shinji," Kaworu said, walking over to the bed. He sat down on its edge, moving one of Shinji's folded shirts slightly out of placed.

"It's just a habit," Shinji readjusted the position of the shirt, stacking another on top of it, "Whenever I'm feeling relaxed, I have the urge to do this. It takes my stress away too, and I've been needing to get rid of a lot of it."

"I can see where it is coming from," Kaworu smirked, "Having to carry that artifact for NERV then being attacked by that EVA Unit would put most your age out of their senses. They would probably have given up by now. But your determination is admirable, Shinji. You're much stronger than you look."

Shinji laughed nervously, placing his clothes in a drawer. "I wouldn't go that far. Besides, I'm doing this for the good of others. If Seele can use that artifact to hurt a lot of people, then I'm going to do my best to make sure it doesn't happen."

'**Indeed,'** Riolu leapt down to the floor, stretching his arms behind his head, **'And once the mission is completed, we will have nothing to worry about other than where to find another fellow Pokémon to befriend.'**

Kaworu looked down at Riolu with his typical smile. "Is that so?"

'**Wha-?' **Riolu took a step back. He couldn't believe it: The boy had just _answered_ him. Did Kaworu just understand him? That was impossible, only Shinji and other Pokémon could do that!

"Yeah," Shinji answered, completely unaware that Nagisa wasn't speaking to him, "But it's not like I'm doing it alone. I've got my friends with me. There's no way we can lose. Right, Riolu?"

The Fighting-type was still in astonishment, his eyes fixed on Nagisa who was ignoring him like nothing had happened. Shinji's voice didn't pass his ears until he repeated himself.

"Riolu? You alright?"

'…**Yes,'** Riolu replied, gathering himself. If Nagisa truly did understand his words, if he really did tap into his aura, then he'd have to watch his words around him from now on. But that was not the main issue on the Pokémon's mind. No, it was the familiar aura he was detecting from Nagisa, one he hadn't felt since…

'**Since we met Ayanami…'** Riolu thought, compressing his aura to hide the contemplation from the boys. He always had noticed the similarities between the two; the red eyes, pale skin, the callousness and social awkwardness. He made a mental note to keep a closer eye on these two; while he trusted Ayanami, Nagisa was a completely different story. This boy was a complete mystery, an enigma who showed up out of the blue and quickly gained Shinji's trust. And that bothered Riolu greatly. **'What are you after, Nagisa…?'**

"Well, that's the last of it," Shinji said, closing the drawer on the last of his belongings, "How about we go to that café down the street and get something to eat?"

"That sounds lovely," Kaworu answered quickly, standing up, "Allow me to use the facilities first before we depart."

As the bathroom door closed, Ikari knelt down beside Riolu. "Hey. I felt you close your thoughts off from me. Are you alright?"

'**I am fine,'** Riolu lied, **'I am just hungry, that's all.'**

"Are you sure?"

Taking a quick glance at the bathroom door, Riolu gave Shinji a look that said otherwise. **'…Completely. How about we take a walk down to the lobby later tonight and look at the aquarium through the big glass? Just **_**you**_** and **_**me**_**.'**

For once, Ikari understood the mixed signal. Nodding, he glanced at the bathroom as well, knowing this had something to do with Kaworu. "Sure thing, buddy."

* * *

Though Hoatzin City was known mostly for being the Avia region's largest port city, it was also recognized as the center of fashion and shopping by women across the land. Every little girl dreamed of browsing its many stores lined to the walls with some of the world's most expensive and elegant attire. For Asuka, having an unlimited budget was the greatest gift ever, almost more than receiving her first Pokémon. The exact opposite was Rei's case, who saw no enjoyment in the carefree spending.

She sat outside a changing room with Gardevoir, waiting for the redhead to emerge with her chosen garments. Asuka had been creating piles of clothes around Rei, telling her which ones were to be bought and which were trash; Rei had forgotten which was which long ago. The fascination the girl had with these clothes alluded Rei completely. Yes, some were quite pretty, but having to carry onto so many while traveling was quite inefficient. She had been trained to be at her best at all times; travel light, follow orders to a T, and keep bonds only with her Pokémon. The latter, however, was slowly fading away, as she began feeling the creeping desire to call Ikari a friend, as he had done to her. Technically, by feeling this she was disobeying orders as well, so maybe it would be alright to disobey just one more…

'**I do not like her, my lady.'**

Gardevoir's blunt statement interrupted Rei's thoughts. She could see something different in her Pokémon's red eyes, a look of complete distaste. Rei glanced over at the changing room, waiting to see it Asuka would emerge before answering.

"Is it because she struck me?"

'**It is more than that,'** Gardevoir closed her eyes, pausing briefly. **'…Do you remember when Ikari told us the story of her mother?'**

"Yes. You said it pained your heart."

**Yes,'** the Pokémon clasped her hands between her legs, pulling her arms close, **'And it still does so. But I cannot bring myself to feel pity for her yet. The way she expresses her emotions through violent means… It sickens me. Hatred, anger and revenge do not solve the problems of your past. She will only hurt others, as she has done to you. The more she acts this way, the more of a liability she will become. It makes me glad that we shall be leaving her once the mission is over.'**

"Gardevoir…" Even though she was hiding it well, Rei was as shocked as she could possibly be. Gardevoir was never one to show such outright dislike for anything, let alone a person. "You must not feel this way about Ms. Soryu. We are assigned to protect her and Ikari, and disdain for her will hamper your ability to do so."

'**I know, my lady. But some things just cannot be helped.'**

Oblivious to those talking of her, Asuka tossed another garment over the changing room door, a white sequin tank. "I don't want this one, Wonder Girl! Put it where it belongs and give me the Red Ruby by Fran Pierre!"

Reluctant but silent, Rei took hold of the rejected top and placed it neatly on what she believed was the reject pile. She then turned to find the dress Asuka had called for on the hanging rack, looking for the tag that said Red Ruby. To her confusion, she found two with the same name but different designers: weren't there laws against stealing another's intellectual property? Ignoring the fact, Rei removed the one by Pierre, looking it over for a moment. It was low cut in the front with a skirt much too short for someone of Ms. Soryu's age to be wearing. Out of curiosity Rei took down the other Red Ruby to compare the two; this one was quite modest, strapless with an exposed back and flowing gown. If not for the color, Rei would consider it the prettiest thing she had ever seen.

"_Hey!"_ Asuka snapped from her changing room, "Where's that dress? I'm getting cold!"

Letting her conscious take over, Rei placed the Pierre Red Ruby down and handed her choice to Asuka instead. A few seconds after the dress disappeared behind the door, Asuka tossed it back over.

"Wrong one, Wonder Girl! I said the _Pierre_, not the _Diantha Collection_!"

"I like that one more," Rei stated boldly, tossing it back over, "I want to see what it looks like. I will then give you the other one."

"Oh, really?" Asuka scoffed, "Is that an _order?"_

"I suppose…?" Rei answered, the sarcasm way above her head.

"I suppose…" Asuka mocked as she slipped into the dress, muttering colorful words about Rei under her breath. Flipping her wavy hair behind her, she turned to look at herself in the mirror, and realized her initial thought of the dress was correct. It wasn't a pretty dress.

It was a drop-dead gorgeous one.

Asuka couldn't take her eyes off her reflection, amazed by how the shimmering gown fit her body perfectly. It was leagues above the border-line trashy Pierre she had first asked for; this one exhumed elegance and grace yet still showed enough skin to be enticing. Even its shade of red was more appealing and seductive than the other's bright "Look at me!" shade. This one dress put everything else she had tried on to shame. Buying anything along with it would be an insult to its beauty.

"Guess I'll tell Rei to…"

She froze, realizing what she had said. _'I called her Rei… I called her Rei and not Wonder Girl...'_ That bothered her more than it should have. Was she going soft for her just because she picked out the world's most beautiful dress? Was that enough to temporarily cool her steaming contempt for Wonder Girl? It was a petty reason, but it was true nonetheless. Holding in the urge to scream, Asuka quietly slipped out of the dress, delicately placing it onto a hangar after clothing herself again. She stepped out, the Red Ruby underneath her arm as she walked past Rei and Gardevoir with her face to the ground.

"Is everything alright, Ms. Soryu?" Ayanami asked, sensing something wrong with her unusual quiet demeanor.

"I think… I'm just going to get this one," Asuka said hesitantly, trying to force the difficult words of praise from her mouth, "You were right. This one is better… _Thanks."_

She sped off, leaving Rei with the one word she never thought she'd hear her say to her face. Gardevoir was in total surprise, speechless at Asuka's turn of character. The blue-haired pair stood like statues, both in total disbelief.

"You're welcome… Asuka."

'**Hey there'** Combusken crooned as he walked onto the scene with food in hand, oblivious to what had just occurred. He sat beside Gardevoir, leaning in close. '**Snagged some human food from some bum outside. You want some?' **When he got no response, he waved his clawed hand in front of the Psychic types face, snapping her back into reality.** 'Yo, what's up with you? Where's Asuka at?'**

'**I don't think I know anymore…'**

* * *

Night had befallen the city. The shining lights of shops and cars flashed like fireflies in the streets as the late-night workers made their way home. It would go dark at midnight, only an hour or so away; Shinji and Kaworu had been in the general vicinity of the hotel the entire day, only walking as far as one block away to the cafe. This was the first time the former had some time alone apart from the bathroom trips. Nagisa seemed intent on keeping him in sight the entire time they were together in a way that seemed much more creepy than out of concern. Shinji had a feeling the boy was waiting for something; what it was he did not know.

Other than that however, being with Kaworu had been quite fun, apart from some of his odd flirtatious moments. Shinji had never really had a friend who would just sit and listen to him intently like Kaworu; Toji and Kensuke were obnoxious at times, Rei always seemed confused, and Asuka was, well, Asuka. The grey haired boy was everything they were not, smiling as he engaged in conversation. Yes, he did have some Ayanami-like qualities to him (not understanding the concept of a reality TV show was one) but he was much more… Shinji hated to say human, but that was really the only word he could think of.

It was the similarities he shared with Rei that made Shinji uneasy. Not just the personality ones either; the pale skin and red eyes gave them an uncanny resemblance he had noticed quite some time ago. If it someone saw them on the street together, they would assume they were siblings, albeit with slightly different hair. And then there was what Riolu was feeling, which is just what Shinji was waiting to hear.

The two of them sat alone on the curved couch in the hotel lobby, watching the Water-types swim around in the illuminated central tank. Installed lights shined through the coral, creating a hazy neon world behind the glass. The reflection colored Shinji and Riolu in the same pastel lights of the water. For half an hour they had sat in silence per Riolu's request; he wanted to make sure Nagisa would be sleeping before they talked.

"I think Kaworu is asleep by now," Shinji looked over at the spiral stairway, checking for any observers, "Why did you want to wait for him to go to sleep?"

'**Shinji,'** Riolu took his gaze away from the aquarium and to Shinji, **'Earlier today, when you were unpacking… He **_**understood**_** me.'**

"Wh-what are you talking about? That's impossible."

'**He looked right at me and answered me. He spoke to me as if he was speaking to you, so you wouldn't notice. I do not know how he did it, but he tapped into my aura wavelengths, the ones I use to communicate with you and you alone. There is something about him that is inhuman. I think you recognize it too, Shinji.'**

Ikari slumped back on the couch, brushing his hair in frustration. "Yeah, I do. But I don't like to think about it. I mean, he saved me, and he's been so nice to me. I've only known him since this morning, but I feel like he's been my friend for so long from the way we talk."

'**You cannot deny just how odd it is how he had shown up out of nowhere right before the EVA attack, and then promptly saves your life. And now we know that he can read my aura. Something is definitely not right here. I still think it was unwise to have told him about NERV, however. Giving away the secret details of a mission to a person you had known for not even three hours is quite irresponsible, Shinji.'**

"I wish I could've taken that back right now," Shinji sighed, "But he saw the EVA; I couldn't just leave him wondering what the heck that thing was. Besides, I don't think he's a spy for Seele or anything. He hasn't even seemed too interested in the artifact at all."

"And just _why the hell_ would he even _know_ about the artifact in the first place, _Baka-Shinji?_"

Shinji could've sworn the temperature of the room dropped when he heard Asuka's voice behind him. He shakily turned around to see the redhead holding a shopping bag with Rei, Gardevoir and Combusken looking at him with mixes of shock, anger, and disappointment.

"A-Asuka!" Shinji stammered, sweat dripping from his face, "I-I can explain! There's a good reason-

_*WHACK!*_

Shinji knocked his backpack to the floor when Asuka made contact with him, its contents spilling everywhere. An imprint of Asuka's hand sat on Ikari's cheek. "What are you, stupid?! Blabbering top secret information to strangers! I don't believe it!"

"Well you're the one yelling it to the world!"

"Shut it, you blabbermouth! You have no right to speak anymore! What other secrets have you spilled, eh?!"

"Stop," Rei ordered, walking past Asuka and over to Shinji. She placed her hand on his face where Asuka had slapped him, just like she had done to her. His touch had made her burnt hand feel better; perhaps her touch could help him as well. "Are you alright, Ikari?"

"Yeah," Shinji said, surprised at Ayanami's tenderness, "You're not mad?"

"I am not mad. Though you have disobeyed orders, your reasoning behind doing so is understandable. For that, I will not inform my superiors of your misdoing."

"But… I thought following orders was, like, your thing. You always seem to follow them to the T."

"I do. But now, I am making an exception. For my…friend."

The word felt good coming off Rei's tongue. She had never called another that before, not even Gardevoir. Her stomach felt strange as she said it, like there were thousands of butterflies fluttering inside. Shinji's smile made it feel even better. She didn't quite fully grasp this feeling, but she wanted it to last forever.

"Thanks, Rei." Ikari looked past her and winked at Asuka. "See? Rei is okay with it. That means you should be too."

"Incorrect," Ayanami corrected promptly, "I said I would not tell my superiors, not that I was satisfied with your actions. Though I said your reasoning was logical, Nagisa still knows of NERV and our mission. Because you told him this information, Ikari, I must now monitor him closely to ensure he does not distributes this information. My task has now become much more laborious due to your mistake."

"Oh…" Shinji slumped in defeat, much to Asuka's amusement, "I'm sorry then, Rei. I didn't mean to make things harder on you."

"Tried to get out of this unscathed, huh?" Asuka smirked, "While guilt trips aren't my style of punishment, it'll do for now, Baka-Shinji. Or should I just call you Blabbermouth from now on?" She was surprised when he didn't answer her. He was still slumped behind the couch, like he was looking at something. "Hey! I'm talking to you! Hello?"

"Ikari?" Rei looked down at him and saw just what was holding his attention. It was on the floor, half buried beneath Shinji's backpack that he knocked over when Asuka had slapped him. The lid was opened, revealing a strange purple looking object that resembled an organ, yet had holes embedded in its projecting lumps. Something red projected from one end, and Shinji instantly recognized its shape.

"That's… That's a reed," he stammered, picking Artifact 316 up in his hands, "This can't be… Is this an instrument?"

"What?" Asuka rushed over, leaning on the couch over Shinji's shoulder to finally see the artifact they had been transporting all this time. Combusken and Riolu were just as curious, getting closer to see it with their own eyes. "That's no instrument you idiot! It's a… um…"

"It is a flute." Rei answered calmly, taking the artifact from Shinji's hands. Gardevoir handed her the case as she placed it inside once again. "It is the only one of its kind."

"And why the hell are we carrying that stupid thing around?!" Asuka snarled, "It's a damn instrument, not something that could change the world or something!"

"You are wrong," Ayanami stated boldly, becoming deadly serious, "Do not take the power of this artifact lightly."

Shinji stared at Rei in utter disbelief. "Rei… What is that thing?"

She hesitated. Telling these two the purpose of the artifact was against orders. But with the amount of guidelines that had already been broken, what would one more hurt? A nod of approval from Gardevoir was enough for Rei to give in.

"It is the origin of song and prayer as we know it, the only object in this world that can summon the Original One. It is the Azure Flute… The Heart of God himself."

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Night At The Museum!_

_The Azure Flute Is Ready For Delivery!_


	18. Stage 18: How Could You?

**First chapter of the year! **

**I apologize for the wait; I have been revamping another story of mine, and I left this chapter sitting in limbo.**

* * *

_*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-*_

The shrill ringing of the alarm clock snapped Shinji from his sleep. Slamming his hand down on the snooze button, he pulled his head back under the covers, concealing his sandy eyes from the morning sun poking through the curtains. He had gotten barely any sleep through the night, his mind swirling after Rei's revelation of the identity of the Artifact.

'_The Azure Flute, the Heart of God himself…'_

Her words still rang in his head. Was this thing really something of divine power? Shinji couldn't imagine Rei lying about a claim like that; besides, if it wasn't such a mystical object, then Seele wouldn't be so intent on having it. Shinji had never been very religious, and knew little of the Flute's backstory. Asuka wasn't as much in the dark, knowing a few of the old myths surrounding the creation of the world. She wasn't even skeptical about its authenticity either; she mentioned the summoning of the legendary Creation Trio in Sinnoh by Team Galactic 15 years ago as her reason to believe this was the real deal.

'_I'm just glad we're getting rid of this thing soon,'_ Asuka had said after her initial astonishment was gone, _'Then we won't be tied in with this potentially world-changing crap anymore. Prof. Akagi is gonna hear it from me when we get home… If I knew this stupid artifact was this important, then I wouldn't have agreed to carry it in the first place. The less EVA robot things trying to kill me, the better…'_

In hindsight, Shinji was surprised more EVA robots hadn't been sent to retrieve the Azure Flute from them. If this thing was a part of God, then why wasn't Seele trying harder than this to take it?

_*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-*_

The alarm went off again, urging Shinji to get up and start his day. Once more Shinji raised his hand to silence it, but this time felt something help push his hand down on the clock. Through a small opening in the covers he could see a pale arm stretching from above him, one slim yet masculine…

"Time to awaken, _Shinji-kun…_" Nagisa purred through the covers into his ear. If not for the sheets over top of him, Shinji's screams would have awoken every sleeping person in the hotel.

"_Wh-wh-what are you…?!_ _In my bed?!" _Ikari stammered in incoherent shock. Kaworu shushed him, placing his index finger to the erratic boy's mouth.

"There is no need to worry, Shinji-kun. No adultery occurred between us, I was merely cold and joined you to gain warmth. Now please, be quiet. You may awaken the girls."

"Uh-uh-uh-" Ikari was speechless, his eye twitching in disbelief as Nagisa slipped out from under the covers shirtless. He knew the guy was hitting on him, but this? This was too much!

"I wish to meet you downstairs for breakfast, if you don't mind," Kaworu pulled a shirt over his head, concealing his pale frame, "There are a few things I would like to talk to you about before I depart. I'll give you some time to shower beforehand. I'll be waiting for you, Shinji-kun."

The same zany expression on his face, Shinji watched the door close behind Kaworu. On the floor below the bed, Riolu stretched and yawned, hopping up beside his trainer. **'Morning, Shinji..., Um, is something the matter? Your aura right now is… **_**strange**_**, to say the least.'**

"…I'd rather not talk about it."

* * *

The array of food presented by the cooks at Casa de Paradisia was a sampling of the water, a seafood breakfast unlike Shinji had ever seen. Crustaceous delicacies taken straight from Hoatzin Lake dominated the table assortments, ranging from crabmeat quiche to shrimp deviled eggs. Having not been raised on such a fancy diet, the boy opted for a simple bowl of miso soup and rice. Riolu chose a brown muffin-like Poffin from a small table set aside just for the hotel's Pokémon guests. With food in hand the two headed over to a corner table where Kaworu sat. For wanting to meet down in the dining room, Nagisa apparently wasn't hungry, with only a cup of water in front of him.

"I see the seafood dishes were not to your liking," Kaworu said as Ikari sat down across from him.

"I'm not really into that kind of food," Shinji said, taking a spoonful of rice, "I'm more surprised that it's the breakfast platter; I can't imagine what the dinner one would be like… I feel so out of place here."

"Is that so?" Nagisa leaned in inquisitively, resting his chin in his hand, "Just because the food is targeted to a different class of people? That fascinates me." Hearty laughter arose from the table behind Kaworu, as a quartet of men toasted their glasses of early-morning wine. He observed them for a lingering moment, until they began talking of business deals and international stocks. "Those men… They truly are different from us, Shinji-kun."

"What do you mean?"

"They live only in the present. Their only concern is what is happening now, as opposed to what may happen decades from now. The stocks and incomes they speak of can change in an instant and without warning, leaving their so-called plans in shambles. Look at them. They do not even own Pokémon. Only those too introverted into their own small world in this day and time do not own at least one, for they are too self-centered to even _care_ for one. There are many others like them, with no care for the rest of the world and what the implications of a further-humanized world may be. All they desire is money…"

Shinji shifted uneasily in his chair, sharing a quick look with Riolu. "I still don't understand what you mean. Why does something like that matter to you?"

"Because it is up to us to fix the world for the better. Their generation, the ones who feel only for the material, will destroy the true way of life. Our kind, us who understand what we must do to preserve the future, are the only hope that remains for creating a world for our children to thrive in. To bring them into the ideals that those men have created dooms them to a bleak existence."

"So you think our way of life is wrong?"

"Tell me, Shinji. Why do you carry that artifact? For you believe that NERV is the greater good?"

"…I guess so. Yeah."

"How can you be so sure? Have you ever opened up your eyes to the possibility that they are concealing it away to keep the world as it is, to prevent the freedom of man and Pokémon alike?"

"Of course not! NERV _helps_ people, Kaworu. They came and helped me and Asuka and everyone else in our town when Seele attacked us. If they want to keep this artifact hidden from people like the Angels, then they obviously don't want to stop the world from changing for the better."

"And what if they are lying? What if you did not hand the artifact over to them, and you helped create a beautiful future from what power it may have? Would your ideals still stand as they do now?"

Silence. Shinji had heard enough of Kaworu's odd questions. "…Look, I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Shinji, I only wish to know-

"_Look._ Just stop, okay. I don't like to talk about stuff like that."

"…I apologize, Shinji-kun. I did not mean to bother you."

Riolu could tell the grey haired boy was lying. He was trying to toy with Shinji's emotions, turn him against NERV. The Pokémon kept silent, eating his Poffin with a sour look on his face. A minute or two passed before Shinji felt the need to speak.

"…So, Kaworu," Shinji said, swallowing a mouthful of food, "Is there anything you want to do before you head out?"

"Well, as a matter of fact-

_*BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-*_

Kaworu's Pokégear began to ring, cutting Ikari off. "Excuse me," Kaworu turned his back to Shinji, cupping his hand around his ear to hear the quiet message from his master.

"Don't speak a word," the voice of Bardiel commanded, "We're arriving shortly. Leave the boy be, but follow him_._ _Do not_ let him leave the city. Bardiel out."

Silencing the call, Kaworu feigned a sigh and stood up, hands in his pockets. "It seems that something has arisen concerning my business here in the city. I'm afraid I must leave immediately, Shinji-kun."

"Really?" Shinji said, visibly disappointed, "I thought we'd have a little more time to hang out. But business is business, I guess… If you're still in the city before Asuka and I leave, maybe you could, um… Would you like to come with us on our journey? Asuka wants to travel the region and beat the Gym Leaders, and I wouldn't mind having your company along the way."

'…_Damn you, Shinji-kun…'_ Kaworu felt strange inside; his deception was feeling even more wrong, more so than any time before. _'Why must you make my task harder all the way up to the very last moment?'_

"Of course," the Angel smiled, placing a hand on Shinji's shoulder, "It sounds pleasurable. Now, I must be going… Take care, Shinji-kun."

"You too, Kaworu."

The grey haired boy was gone, walking through the tables and out the door. Shinji watched his every step, and felt a small sadness when he vanished from view. Riolu sensed his trainer's grief, and patted him on the arm.

'**He is a strange young man,'** the Fighting type commented, **'But even I know that every person in this world deserves at least one good friend, regardless of how shady they may act.'**

"That's exactly how I feel too, Riolu."

* * *

Asuka woke up unusually late this morning. Usually getting on her feet early to fix herself up, she felt much more fatigued than usual, sleeping for at least an additional two hours than the norm. Attempts made by Combusken to pull her out of bed were in vain, with her pulling the sheets over her head as a shield. She wasn't sure why she felt so tired, but had a feeling Rei might have something to do with it.

After thanking her by name yesterday, the remainder of their time together had been awkward, to say the least. Neither of them spoke much to each other; Asuka from out of shame, with Rei having nothing to say at all. The last words they shared were during the revelation of the artifact, and even then they were few.

Which reminded her of Shinji. She was still furious with him about spilling the secrets of NERV to that stranger Nagisa; how could someone be so stupid?! _'Trusting a stranger… He makes me sick.'_

Asuka washed her hair in the sink, staring at herself in the mirror. No makeup, her hair soaking wet; she looked like a slob. In her eyes, at least. Anyone else would see a pretty young woman getting ready for a long day. Hell, half of them would say she looked better without makeup, that she was still too young for it anyways.

But Mama wore it back then.

And so would she.

Reluctantly, she joined Rei and Gardevoir on a walk around the city streets. It was mostly Combusken's idea; he didn't want any other Pokémon pursuing 'his' Gardevoir, as he put it. Asuka was slowly starting to understand his language through careful listening and his gestures, unlike Magikarp who still flailed around uselessly. She hadn't even let the fish out of its Pokéball since they arrived. Not that it would matter anyways, because even if there was water he'd still be worthless.

The girls walked in silence as they headed for Central Park. After maneuvering through many city blocks and throngs of business people rushing to meetings, they arrived at the most serene place inside the metropolis. People and their Pokémon were spending time together playing games, walking, and training on the green grass. On any other day, Asuka would train Combusken here in a heartbeat, but still felt too drained to do anything other than watch from a bench. She sat on one end, her body twisted towards the armrest to keep as much distance between herself and Ayanami, who sat politely with hands on her lap. She looked more like a doll than ever, in her white lace dress and blank, expressionless face.

'_She can't be human…'_ Asuka rolled her eyes, glancing around the park searching for Combusken, who was by the center fountain with Gardevoir. The Fire Fighting type was trying to woo her once again, this time picking a bundle of flowers from a nearby flower bed. Not knowing the chicken had defiled public property, Gardevoir blushed and took the bundle of lilies, holding them close.

Asuka couldn't help but let a little smile form on her lips. _'Would never in a million years thought he was so sensitive like that… If only Shinji-_

Her mindset soon flipped around when, as Gardevoir turned her back, Combusken quickly reached into the fountain and stole a handful of wishing coins, most likely to buy his lunch with.

'…_Okay, maybe he's still a little worse than Shinji in some ways.'_

"E-excuse me, miss…"

"Huh?" Asuka felt something poking her arm. Looking beside her, she saw the face of a nervous little girl, her eyes red from crying. "Hey… What's the matter kid?"

"Have you seen my mommy? I-I can't find her anywhere…"

"Oh, um…" Soryu was panicking inside. Why, _why_ did this girl have to go to _her _for help?! "Well, what does she look like?"

The toddler thought for a second. "…She's really pretty."

'_That sure helps a lot,'_ Asuka sighed, "What color was her hair then?"

"Brown. With some red, like your hair."

"She shouldn't be too hard to find then," She glanced over her shoulder at Ayanami, who was quietly watching them from the corner of her eye, unsure if to become involved or not. As much as she hated to do so, Asuka could really use her help finding this kid's mom right now. "Hey… _Rei._ This kid can't find her mom. Help me out here."

Rei perked up in surprise when Asuka addressed her by name. She surely hadn't expected her to address her in that fashion again. "…Of course, Asuka."

* * *

If there was one thing Skidoo did well, it was clearing a city street.

The Grass goat had never experienced a place as densely populated as a city, and was ecstatic upon seeing all the people he could meet. His running through the throngs of uppity business people steered them to the sides of the streets, giving Shinji and Riolu a clear walkway on every block. Sure, Shinji wasn't too fond of the nasty stares many of the repulsed adults gave him, but he was too happy right now to feel down.

After purchasing a dressy shirt for the museum party tonight, he decided to earn a little extra funds by battling some trainers scattered across the city. Riolu and Skidoo did not fail him, as battles against a Kadabra, a Croconaw and a Raticate ended in victories and ample cash rewards. To top it off, his Pokémon became a lot stronger too. Both learned a new move: Riolu gained the useful Fighting type move Reversal, while Skiddo got some extra power in the Ground type move Bulldoze.

'**That was some rigorous battling, Shinji,'** Riolu stretched his arms back behind his head as he walked beside his trainer, **'We should participate in it more often.'**

"It was pretty fun, wasn't it?" Shinji smiled, "Being stuck in those woods really put us behind with this kind of stuff. How about we do some more tomorrow?"

'**That sounds great!'** Skidoo bleated, jumping up and down. Not realizing his own strength, the goat was actually using Bulldoze on the street, leveling the concrete around him.

"Easy there, Skidoo!" Ikari rushed over and gently pushed down on the goat, "I don't think the city would like us messing up their sidewalks."

'**Oh. Well, I guess so.'**

Not far behind his trainer, Riolu froze in place. He pivoted around, looking for the source of an aura he had picked up. It was not one he recognized completely, but remembered feeling one just as malicious as it before back in…

'**Merganser Town…' **He clenched his fists, expecting some kind of carnage to occur any moment from the aura's owner. And just as quickly as he had felt it, the aura had vanished, masked by those of the business people around him.

"Something up Riolu?"

The Pokémon was at ease again, not wanting to make Shinji worry about the sudden potential danger he had detected. **'No. I thought I sensed Miss Soryu nearby, but I was mistaken. Could we possibly go back to the hotel now? I would like to see if they have any Poffins left for lunch.'**

"…Sure thing. Come on, Skidoo. Let's grab a bite to eat."

'**Oh boy, food!'**

As the trio walked off, an unnoticed figure darted back further into the alleyway he had been lurking in. Ditching its human guise and assuming its true form, Zoroark pounced onto the side of a building and climbed upward to the very top, where his master awaited. Kaworu stood atop it watching the sky above the glistening lake.

"It seems the ship is under the cloaking device, as expected," Nagisa smirked, "How does he expect me to rendezvous if I cannot see his location?"

'**Master,'** Zoroark leapt onto the roof, **'The target is returning to the hotel. Should I continue pursuit?'**

"Please do. Bardiel will be most displeased if we lose track of him. If you must, disguise yourself as me if he tries to depart and convince him to stay. Though I doubt he will leave until after the gathering at the museum tonight. Still, be diligent Zoroark."

'**Yes, my master.'**

The Dark type jumped back off the building as Kaworu sat down, leaning against a large pipe and resting his eyes. Soon, very soon, Seele would have its day. And then, Shinji would truly understand his words.

* * *

Finding the little girl's mother wasn't as hard as Asuka had initially thought. After some convincing by Rei to help Soryu, Gardevoir used her psychic powers on the child to find the nearest person who had a blood relation to her. The rest was just as easy; the mother was quickly located and reunited with her daughter. Apologizing for the trouble and her mistake, the mother tried to reward the girls with money; Rei had rejected the offer before Asuka could accept, much to the latter's resentment.

Now, three hours later, the two sat on the same bench, still not speaking a word to one another. Gardevoir and Combusken had gone off on an evening flight courtesy of Altaria. Combusken called it a 'first date'; Gardevoir did not deny it, so apparently a handful of flowers was just enough to win her over. Asuka had decided to let Magikarp out for once, allowing him to splash and swim in the fountain. It was the first time she had seen the fish don a smile, something she never thought the fish could do.

Still, with all this happiness among the Pokémon, Asuka's feelings towards Rei were the same. Yes, she called her by name now, but she would never call her a friend. She was everything she hated: quiet, calm, docile, composed…

A better match for Shinji than she was.

Rei could feel the hostility and discontent radiating from Asuka the entire time they had been together. She understood not why she did not like her; from what Rei could deduce, she had never done anything to deserve these feelings. Especially right now; Ayanami could tell Soryu was feeling even more displeased of her than at any time before. Was it because she rejected the reward? Or was it perhaps from something else? Was it maybe from what they had just done? Was it seeing a mother and daughter reunited that made her so frustrated right now?

"…_Why do we ask questions, Ikari? Why do you think humans feel the need to know things that do not affect them?"_

Rei remembered what Shinji had said to her that day in the cave.

"_Uh, well… It's just natural curiosity, I guess. That, and I want us to be friends, Rei."_

She wanted to know what troubled Asuka. She wanted another friend, someone else like Ikari to be nice to her.

So she was going to break a rule once again.

"…Are you alright?"

Asuka perked up, shocked at the voice. "Excuse me?"

"About the girl and her mother… Does it remind you of yours?"

"…What did you just say?"

"Your mother. I was curious if this event brought up those memories to you. You seem… bothered. Is that what is troubling you?."

At first, there was nothing. Asuka's mouth hung open slightly, in disbelief.

Then she lunged.

Like a predator pouncing on its prey, Soryu leapt on top of Rei, pinning her to the bench by her shoulders. Her eyes were wild, angry, yet… broken. Betrayed.

"_How do you know that?! Tell me right now! HOW?!"_

Something strange flowed in Rei, something she had never felt before.

It was guilt.

She had made a horrible, horrible mistake.

"_I SAID TELL ME!"_

"I-It… _Ikari._ He said…"

And like that Asuka's grip loosened, her arms falling to her side. She stayed like that, hovering over Rei for some time, silently, in pain. Then she looked up. Her eyes were hollow.

"_That's what I thought."_

Arriving right as Asuka started walking away from Rei, Altaria landed with Combusken and Gardevoir. Immediately the Psychic/Fairy realized something was wrong. Very wrong.

'**Hey Asuka,'** Combusken had noticed too, and approached his trainer, **'Something the mat-**

Soryu didn't even let Combusken finish before returning him to his Pokéball. She walked by the fountain and recalled Magikarp as well without a word.

'**My lady!' **Gardevoir rushed to Rei, kneeling on the bench beside her, _**'What did she do?!**_** Are you okay?!'**

Ayanami watched Soryu in the distance, pacing quickly towards the city as the sun set behind it. No longer was her anger directed at her.

"I feel… sick."

* * *

Sunset. The silhouettes of towering buildings sat against an amber sky, a flock of Pidgey flying just above their roofs. It was the slowest part of the day: rush hour was over, families were eating dinner in their homes, and businesses had closed down for the day. The streets were much clearer, almost empty in some places.

It made finding the way to the Roark Museum of Natural History an easy task for Shinji. Dressed in a semi-formal grey button up shirt (barely different than his usual white one), he and Riolu entered the museum's doors, with the Azure Flute tucked away in his backpack. After taking an elevator to the 4th floor, they wandered around the Hall of Paleontology admiring the fossils for some time before searching out the Dining Lounge. When they entered the room, they were greeted by a crowd of upper-class citizens, drinking and chatting about things he did not understand. The room sat atop an outcrop of the building, with a glass wall and roof presenting a view of the entire city; an appropriate backdrop for such an elegant party.

"It's a lot more people than I was expecting," Shinji loosened his collar, scanning through the crowd for anyone that resembled a NERV agent. Riolu climbed up on his shoulder for a better view.

'**Indeed. The view from my height down there makes it appear even more crowded. Did Prof. Akagi mention what the NERV agents looked like?'**

"No. But now I'm starting to wish she did."

'**I guess we should start looking, then.'**

"Let's check over there fir- _OW!"_

Suddenly Shinji felt someone grab him firmly on the shoulder, digging their nails through his shirt. Riolu leapt off his trainer in an instant, taken completely off guard by the situation. As the nails pierced his skin, Shinjispun around, knocking their arm away and pushing them back. "Hey! What's the- _Asuka?"_

He looked at her, stunned and surprised. She looked like a mess; her makeup looked like black tears on her face, eyes bloodshot. Her mouth was twisted into a vicious snarl, one that said she felt no pity for wounding him. Besides, he had wounded her much, much more.

"Asuka? What're you doing? What's the matter?"

"…_How could you?" _It was a whimper, yet filled with venom. Asuka looked at him with a broken glare, sniffing as she brushed the hair from her eyes.

"How could I what?" Shinji took one step towards her, almost extending his hand, "Tell me, Asuka!"

"You told her..."

He could barely hear her murmuring. "Wha-

"_You told her!"_

The shriek silenced the room. Heads of adults turned their direction, curious to the teen's scuffling. Shinji swallowed hard. This wasn't going to end well.

"You told _her!"_ Asuka yelled again, this time grabbing Shinji by the collar and bringing him in violently. The two were face-to-face; Ikari could feel the heat of her rage emanating from her. "You told Ayanami about _her! Why?! Why did you do that?!_"

'_Her?'_ Then Shinji realized the problem.

Rei had let the secret slip.

"She… Rei wanted to know why you were sad about losing-

"_That was a secret!"_ Asuka choked, her voice cracking. The tears were falling again. "That was only for _us_ to know! How could you do that to me Shinji?! I'm you're best friend! _You don't need her!_ You don't need anyone but _me!"_

Shinji couldn't take it anymore. She was out of control, embarrassing the both of them. His fist clenched, he did something he never thought he'd do before.

*SLAP!*

The stinging sound echoed in the silent room, followed by a collected gasp from the adults. Asuka's head faced the left, the way Shinji's palm had slapped it, a red mark branded on her cheek. Riolu couldn't even communicate with his trainer; this was just too shocking to take in.

"_What is wrong with you?!" _Shinji yelled, grabbing Soryu by the shoulders, "Why do you hate Ayanami?! She never did _anything_ to you! She is trying to be nice to you and me! She wants to know us, be our _friend!_ Is there something wrong with that?!"

"…_You just don't get it, you idiot…"_

"_What?! What don't I get?!"_

Asuka opened her mouth. She was sick of his ignorance. She had to tell him everything now. About the Wall of Jericho back at the motel, about why she slept beside him that night in the cave, about why she was jealous of Ayanami…

But that was going to have to wait.

The ceiling erupted into a thousand blades of glass, falling down onto the partygoers below. Two cloaked figures plummeted down with the shards, landing in the center of the room. Instinctively, Shinji tackled Asuka to the crowd to shower her from the falling glass. He could feel a few pieces cut through his shirt and skin; luckily nothing too major. The glass window was next, as two more cloaked figures kicked their way through, rolling into the room and joining their partners.

'**Are you alright?!'** Riolu asked, pushing on his trainer. Shinji rolled off Asuka and looked through the crowd at the figures in the room's center. Asuka sat up beside him; all the tension between them had disappeared for now in the presence of a much bigger problem.

"No way…" Asuka whispered, wiping her eyes, "There's no way…"

Shinji was thinking the exact same thing as her. "How… How did they know I'd bring it _here?"_

One of the figures, the tallest, took a long look over the crowd, searching for his target. Flipping his hood back, he revealed his mask to all: bright orange with one large cryptic eye in its center. He spread his arms wide, like a pope to the masses.

"My name is Sahaquiel," the Angel announced, his voice calm yet with a hint of arrogance, "The 10th Angel of the almighty Team Seele. Fear not, for I am not here to bring harm upon you all. No, my comrades and I are here for one thing, and one thing only…"

Sahaquiel spotted his target over the heads of the crowd. Pointing towards the direction of the doorway, he garnered the attention of every single partygoer and directed it upon one person.

"And that would be you, _Shinji Ikari."_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Angel Attack!_

_The Four-Bringers Make Their Move!_


	19. Stage 19 - The City of Angels

"What is the meaning of this?!"

Sahaquiel was surprised when he heard the voice of a man call out from the crowd. The Angel was even more shocked when the man in question made his way through the people and up towards him, daring to point a finger of displeasure at him. The rest of the party-goers were silent from fear as well as astonishment from their host's bravery.

"What's that guy thinking?!" Shinji swallowed nervously, "They'll kill him!"

"Who cares?" Asuka said coldly, "They're here for you. Everything's still _your_ fault."

"Now's not the time for that, Asuka!"

Standing beside Sahaquiel, Sandalphon flipped his hood back showing his primitive crustacean-like mask. "Well, if I hadn't seen stupid before…"

"This isn't stupidity," Matarael muttered, pulling a Pokéball from his waist. "It's a death wish."

"How _dare_ you fiends!" The older man huffed, jabbing his index finger into the tall Angel's chest, "I demand an explanation for your actions!"

Sahaquiel looked down on the host, his coldness intimidating the older man. "And just who may _you_ be?"

"_I_ am the curator of this establishment! Those who have the nerve to damage my property and scare my colleagues will answer to m- _ACK!"_

The old man coughed up red, taking a staggering step back. In front of him, Shamshel knelt, arm outstretched with a speared whip concealed by his sleeve piercing through the curator's chest.

"We answer to no one, _peasant."_

Shamshel retracted his whip as the curator fell to his knees. The moment his body hit the floor, panic ensued. The guests went into a fear frenzy, running in a mob to the doorway to escape the Angels. Standing by the exit the entire time, Shinji, Asuka, and Riolu were the first ones out, darting down the hallway and to the stairs.

"Hey, Sahaquiel," Sandalphon cracked his neck, Pokéball in hand, "Pretty sure the kid got outta the room in the chaos. We should go after him, right?"

One by one, the Angels released their Pokémon: Matarael's spiders Galvantula and Ariados stood beside Shamshel's serpentine Arbok and Seviper, and Sandalphon's prehistoric Armaldo landed on the ground with a thud. Sahaquiel's mystic Sigilyph flew directly behind its master.

"Yes," the one-eyed Angel said, "But first, let us remove these _filthy obstacles _from our path."

Obeying their masters, the Angel's Pokemon prepared to lunge at the scuffling crowd, readying their individual attacks. Just as Matarael's Galvantula was about to discharge an Electroweb over its many targets, a purple beam of energy struck the floor just behind the Seele agents. As the dust cleared, Sahaquiel looked up towards the broken ceiling and saw an unsurprising sight.

"_Well!"_ he exclaimed, smiling beneath his mask, "If it isn't a NERV agent! Come to protect the Ikari child, I presume?"

Standing atop her Altaria with Gardevoir, Rei Ayanami looked down upon the terrorists with cold, red eyes. "I am here to prevent any more destruction. Surrender, or I will be forced to engage you."

"Cold," Shamshel said, slinking forward, "Doesn't even acknowledge the kid. People like that don't deserve the gift of life."

Slithering quickly across the floor, Shamshel's serpentine Pokémon darted in Rei's direction. After coiling their bodies for a mere second, the Arbok and Seviper pushed and sprang up into the air, trying to latch on to Altaria with their poisonous fangs.

'**I don't think so!'** Altaria began flapping her cloud-like wings, emanating a thick mist that surrounded the area around her. The two snakes, unable to see through the foggy air, tried pulling back but felt their bodies being held in place by some strange essence.

Her eyes glowing from the use of her Psychic attack, Gardevoir brought the hand she was controlling the serpents with straight down. **'Now fall.'**

Arbok and Seviper plummeted down, hitting the floor in a cloud of dust. Seeing that his teammate's Pokémon were temporarily out for the count, Matarael decided to strike next.

"Ariados! Galvantula! _Take them down!"_

As the spider's scuttled in different directions to try and trap their opponents, Sahaquiel and Sandalphon began to walk away towards the doorway, all the partygoers having escaped.

"Hey!" Matarael snapped at the departing Angels, "Where the hell are you going?!"

"After those brats," Sandalphon replied over his shoulder, "Where else?"

"You and Shamshel are more than enough to keep this girl at bay," Sahaquiel followed, "It is six-on-three. You should not require our assistance, unless you are much more incompetent than you appear."

Before Matarael could snap, Shamshel placed a hand on his shoulder. "They're right. Let them go after Ikari. Besides…" They both looked up at Ayanami and her partners, as Arbok and Seviper grouped around them, ready to strike again. "How hard can it be to kill just one girl?"

* * *

The street just outside the museum was a madhouse. Citizens and their Pokémon had rushed to the scene of the crime after hearing the sounds of police sirens rushing through the city. Those who were inside the museum poured into the streets in terror, making the situation even worse. Shinji, Asuka and Riolu had been the first to make it out, and were a block or two away when the officials began pulling in.

"Where should we go?" Shinji asked Asuka, who shot him a nasty glare.

"Oh, so you think now that we're in danger everything's fine between us?!"

"Come on Asuka! Some things are more important right now!"

They turned a corner, now dashing down a dark alleyway. A group of scavenging Rattata scurried away from their trash can buffet as the trio ran by.

"I don't give a shit what you think, Baka-Shinji! You're just a pathetic brat who immediately trusts anyone who's nice to them!"

Shinji stopped in his tracks, Asuka almost colliding with him. He turned towards her, approaching with a clenched fist. "Well, you know what? Maybe I _like_ people like that Asuka! Maybe I want a friend who isn't always calling me stupid or an idiot! Maybe I want a friend who actually gives a crap about what I talk about! You sure don't!"

Taking a step back, Soryu clenched her fist as well, but did not direct it towards him, instead holding it over her heart. "That's… That's not true-

"What do we have here?"

The children froze at the all too familiar voice and looked upwards. Standing at the edge of the rooftop was Sahaquiel and his Sigilyph, illuminated by the full moon behind them.

"N-No way!" Shinji looked up in disbelief. "How'd he catch up to us so quick?!"

"A quarrel between friends?" the Angel teased, leaping to the ground. His odd Psychic-Flying type Pokémon used its mystical powers to soften his fall. "Are you sure you want to die knowing that will be the last memory you have of each other?"

Riolu took a fighting stance, ready to take on this much stronger opponent. **'This will be tough! I hope you are ready for this, Shinji!'**

"Asuka!" Shinji shouted, quickly pushing his friend in the other direction, "Get out of here! He's after me, not you!"

She hesitated for a moment. Shinji was right; the Angel wanted him, not her. But she would be leaving him again in a situation where he might not come back alive. And, no matter how much she hated him right now, she vowed never to do that again. "… No. I'm not leaving."

"Asuka-

"I told you before, Baka-Shinji!" Asuka tossed Combusken's Pokéball into the air, releasing the chicken, "We are a team! So right now we are going to forget our_ problem_ and kick this guy's ass! Then I'm going to kick _yours!"_

Swallowing hard, Shinji nodded quickly. "S-sure, Asuka. Looking forward to that…"

'**So, how we gonna do this?'** Combusken asked Riolu, cracking his neck, **'You gonna lay back and let me kick the crap outta the stupid Sigilyph myself or what?'**

'**Are you a fool?'** Riolu rolled his eyes, **'That **_**'stupid Sigilyph'**_** is our perfect counter. It's a Psychic/Flying type; we are weak to both of those types, remember?'**

'…I'll leave it all to you then. Okay?'

"Are they done chattin' yet, Sahaquiel?"

Shinji and Asuka were horrified to hear the other voice coming from behind them. From the shadows of the alley Sandalphon emerged, with his Armaldo lurking behind him. The primitive Bug type sharpened his claws off each other, growling in anxiety for the battle.

Sandalphon yawned, stretching out his arms. "I'm getting' tired of this crap, kiddies. Should've let us take you down back in the museum. Not a fan of huntin' people down in a city; it's hard to be stealthy with a mask like mine."

"Indeed," Sahaquiel followed, taking a step towards Shinji and Asuka, "It does not have to end this way, Ikari. If you hand me the artifact right now, I may just let you and your Pokémon live."

"Fat chance!" Asuka swirled around to face Sandalphon, pointing directly at the Angel, "Get him, Combusken!"

'**You got it!'** The chicken kicked himself off the ground, back flipping over Shinji and his trainer and landing a solid foot on Armaldo's face. The prehistoric Pokémon stumbled backwards, almost knocking his master over.

"I guess that means I am fighting you, Ikari," Sahaquiel grinned beneath his mask, "An easy task, if I must say so."

Nervous beyond belief, Shinji shared a quick look with Riolu. _'This might not end good…'_

**'No matter what happens Shinji, we will be friends until the end. I will do my best!'**

'…_Right!'_ Shinji nodded and clenched his fists. He looked over his shoulder at Asuka for an instant, the girl absorbed in her beginning battle. _'We can do this… All of us!'_

Shinji was ready. Staring down the Angel, he raised one of his fists at his opponent. "You'll never get this artifact! I won't ever let you win! _Go get him, Riolu!"_

'_**Right!' **_the dog grinned, dashing towards Sahaquiel and Sigilyph. The Angel let out a dark chuckle.

"Is that so… boy?"

* * *

"_God-dammit!"_

Matarael couldn't believe his eyes. There was no way this could be happening! As Shamshel's Arbok made impact with the museum floor right beside him, he knew that this situation was an unbelievable reality.

"How the hell is this girl _beating us?!"_

For the past ten minutes Rei Ayanami had been holding her own against all four of him and Shamshel's highly trained Pokémon. And now, the girl was turning the tide completely in her favor. Matarael couldn't stand it one bit. He was an Angel, for God's sake! A mere child should not be defeating him!

"Concentrate, you fool!" Shamshel ordered the panicking Angel, swiftly kicking his defeated Arbok, "And _you!_ Get up and fight! _Get up,_ you dumb animal!"

But Shamshel's beating was meaningless; Arbok was out, and his Seviper was about to join him. The other snake was slithering around Gardevoir, trying to find an opening on the elegant Pokémon. As Matarael's Ariados began sneaking in from behind, the snake took its chance. It struck with a hiss, but made a huge mistake. Gardevoir sidestepped Seviper and let loose a huge Psychic attack on his weak mind.

'**Please, just accept defeat,'** Gardevoir asked kindly, **'I do not like having to hurt you.'**

As Seviper slipped into unconsciousness, Ariados leapt at Gardevoir, its small fangs dripping with poison. The spider didn't even get close, as a powerful Dragon Pulse from above (courtesy of Altaria) plowed him into the floor, knocking him out as well. Only Matarael's Galvantula remained standing, and Altaria noticed the Electric spider trying to hide from sight.

'**Stay right there, and I won't hurt you,'** Altaria chirped with a smile, **'Okay?'**

Quivering, Galvantula nodded at least a thousand times and curled up into a ball in surrender. His master was less than pleased, to say the least.

"You stupid bug!" Matarael snarled, "I trained you better than that!"

Rei looked down upon the Angels with emotionless eyes. "Your Pokemon have been defeated. Surrender."

"Never!" Matarael roared in response, "We don't need Pokémon to kill you-

_*CH-CHK!*_

The Angel recognized that sound too well. He and Shamshel turned around slowly to witness the entirety of the Hoatzin City police force behind them, their weapons drawn and their dozen or so Arcanine growling in intimidation. The girl had stalled them out long enough for them to reach the room, and now victory was out of grasp.

"…_Shit."_

"Ah, hell," Shamshel dropped to his knees, putting his hands behind his head, "It's over, man. _We're done…"_

As the officers restrained the two Angels, Altaria descended to the floor. Rei hopped off the fluffy dragon and gave her a pat on the head. "You did well. Thank you."

'**You're welcome!'**

'**My lady,'** Gardevoir teleported beside Rei, **'Were you injured in any way?'**

"I am fine," Ayanami looked over towards the doorway, which the partygoers had fled through. "Was Ikari in the crowd that escaped?"

'**I do not believe so… I did not sense him once we arrived. The other two Angels must still be in pursuit of him and Ms. Soryu, then.'**

"Then we must find them."

Climbing back onto Altaria, Rei was ready to give the order to take off when her Pokégear began to buzz: an incoming call, but from whom? She answered the call, holding the device up to her ear. "This is Rei Ayanami."

"Hey, Rei! It's been a while since I've last talked to you."

Ayanami instantly recognized the woman's happy voice, but was quite surprised _she_ was contacting her. "Aren't you supposed to be under cover?"

"Well, yes, but that's just about to end. I can see you from my location; stay there, Rei. We'll save Ikari this time. You've earned the break."

"If that is what you wish, Colonel."

* * *

Battling against an Angel's Pokémon was tougher than Combusken had originally thought. He skidded on the cement, keeping balanced on his clawed feet as Sandalphon's Armaldo charged at him again. The Rock/Bug type slashed at him again with his blade arms, and swung his tail at him as he jumped in evasion. That tactic hit its mark, as Combusken took the full attack and was knocked into the alleyway wall.

'_**Dammit!'**_ the chicken grunted, **'This guy's pretty tough, for a bug!'**

"Get back on him!" Asuka ordered, "Hit 'em with a Flame Charge!"

'_**Will do!'**_ Clenching, Combusken ignited his body in a swirling flame. He dashed into Armaldo, and u-turned after contact. Asuka watched intently, biting her lip: with the speed increase from Flame Charge, plus the gradual speed boost from his ability, Combusken might be able to win this battle through speed alone.

"Keep boostin' your speed all you want," Sandalphon yawned, clearly not impressed, "No matter how fast you get, Armaldo will still take you out with one more hit. I'm callin' it."

"We'll see about that! Combusken, use Flame Charge again!"

Using his immense momentum, the Fire/Fighting type jumped into the air and dove down in a ball of flames towards Armaldo. Sandalphon shared a look with Armaldo, and after a nod the Rock/Bug type spread its clawed arms wide.

"It's over now," the Angel stated, "Once your Combusken falls into Armaldo's Crush Claw he'll be squished into a pulp."

It was then Asuka felt worried. There was no denying it: unless Combusken could deal enough damage with this Flame Charge, Armaldo would still be standing and then end the battle. And then… Then things would get very, very bad.

* * *

"Riolu! Bullet Punch!"

Shinji had called the first strike between him and Sahaquiel. Using the only move he had that had the chance of damaging Sigilyph, Riolu leapt into the air and struck it with a burst of iron-hard fists. But, even after the priority move, Sigilyph remained unfazed.

'**H-He's not even hurt!'** The Fighting type gasped as he landed back on ground, **'His level must be much higher than mine!'**

"Is that all you have to show?" Sahaquiel laughed, "I knew you were a child, but I expected more out of you than this. Now, Sigilyph, show him how strong that attack should have been: Mirror Move!"

Before Riolu could react, Sigilyph swooped down to his level. Its single eye began glowing a familiar shade of bright silver, then a flurry of fist-like energy shot from within. Riolu had no chance of taking the hit, and he flew backwards past Shinji and into a steel dumpster, a massive dent in its side from his hard impact.

"Riolu!" Shinji panicked, stumbling as he rushed to his Pokémon. The Angel was going to have none of it, and he allowed his Sigilyph to fly in between the trainer and Riolu.

"Mirror Move is the perfect insult," Sahaquiel stated, slowly approaching Shinji, "A proverbial middle finger, you might say. By copying the opponent's move and then in turn defeating them with it, you can show just how stronger you are than them. It puts the weak in their place."

The Angel was getting closer now, and Shinji had nowhere to go. Through Sigilyph's pronged wings, he could see Asuka and Combusken still in battle with their opponent. Combusken was diving down towards his opponent in a ball of fire, but his target looked like he was sure he could take the hit. Still, even if she managed to win, Sahaquiel would beat her as easily as he had beaten him right now. This was a lose-lose situation… There was nothing to be done.

"Now, Ikari," Sahaquiel was hovering over Shinji now, looking down on him with his soul-piercing mask, "Give me what I came here for, and I will spare your friend Sandalphon is battling: It is too late for you"

"I..." Shinji swallowed; he was not going to be intimidated by an Angel again. Swallowing his fear, he stood up straight, fists clenched defiantly as he stared the Angel in the eye. "I won't! You might be stronger than me, but I will never show you fear!"

"Brave words, Ikari… But the wrong ones."

Reaching into his cape, Sahaquiel pulled out a sleek black pistol fitted with a silencer. Frozen upon seeing the firearm, Shinji realized that this may really be it. There was no escape. He would die, then Riolu, then Asuka, then Combusken… Only a miracle could save him now.

'_Get up, Riolu…'_

Opening his eyes, Riolu heard Shinji calling to him mentally. Though his vision was blurry, he could see that the Angel was standing over his best friend.

'_Please, get up…'_

'_**I'm trying…!' **_The little Pokémon struggled to move his legs, but to no avail. **'I'm… **_**I'm coming Shinji!'**_

'_Help me… Riolu help me!'_

'**Shinji…! I'm-**

'_HELP ME!'_

'_**RRRHHHAAAAGGGHHH!'**_

And then Riolu felt it. It was a sensation he had never felt before. Power stemming from his incredible bond with Shinji was surging through him, overpowering and intense, molding him into something strong, something more… Something new.

He was evolving.

"…Riolu?" Shinji stammered, gazing upon his changing Pokémon.

"What the-?!" Sahaquiel and his Sigilyph shielded their faces (or eye, in the latter's case) from the blinding light, giving Shinji the opportunity to knock his gun away and escape his trapped position. He knelt before his Pokémon enveloped in the fantastic light, reaching his hand in to feel for him. Suddenly he felt a hand grasp his, one larger and much stronger than Riolu's.

'_Riolu?_'

'**Shinji…'** a deep, powerful voice entered his mind, **'Do not worry…'**

The light began to disappear, allowing Shinji to witness his Pokémon's new form. He stood taller now, the tips of his ears now reaching Shinji's shoulders. A small spike protruded from his chest, now sporting a yellow fur that resembled a vest. Two more lobes protruded from behind his head, and his snout was now much narrower. No longer was he Riolu.

Now, he was Lucario.

He placed his hand on Shinji's own, staring into his eyes. _**'…I will protect you.'**_

"I don't believe it…" Asuka had seen the glowing from the corner of her eye, and witnessed as Shinji's Pokémon transformed to defend him. She knew that Riolu evolved through high friendship with their trainer, but bonds like those should take years to make. Just how close were those two?

'**Well I'll be,'** Combusken chuckled as he held Armaldo's claws apart with his feet; he had jumped back as soon as he connected with Flame Charge, and now was using all his muscle to keep the Fossil Pokemon from crushing him. **'Way to go, buddy! Now you're on **_**my**_** level!'**

'**Not now, Combusken…'** Lucario groaned. He needed to stay focused now; just because he evolved, it didn't mean he could beat this Sigilyph for sure. But, after a quick glance behind him, he saw something he could _definitely_ defeat.

Studying the opposing Sigilyph for a few moments, Shinji looked to Lucario. _'So, do you think you can take him now that you're evolved?'_

'**It is possible, but only if my plan works out perfectly.'**

'_Plan?'_

Lucario smiled at his master. **'Just leave this one to me, Shinji.'**

"So you think _evolution_ will secure you victory?" Sahaquiel scoffed, standing with arms folded, "You disappoint me, Ikari. Come forth, and allow me to end this battle once and for all."

Raising his hand in the air, Lucario manifested his aura into physical form and molded a blue, bone-shaped staff, spinning it in his hand before pointing it towards the Angel. Amazed by his Pokémon's new move, Shinji looked to his Pokégear to see what Lucario's new technique was. _'So that's Bone Rush... A Ground type move. But how can he hit a Flying type like Sigilyph with it?'_

A small smirk formed on Lucraio's lips. Gathering aura around his feet he kicked down, corkscrewing over Shinji and diving towards Combusken and Armaldo.

'_**Duck!'**_ he ordered his friend as he swung with his bone staff.

'_**GAH!'**_ The chicken narrowly missed having his head whacked by Lucario's attack, which collided with Armaldo's face. Combusken rolled across the pavement, furious. **'The hell was that?! You almost hit me!'**

'**Attack the Sigilyph!'** Lucario growled, just before releasing a slew of super-effective Bullet Punches on his new opponent.** 'Use your speed to outmaneuver it! I'll assist you shortly!'**

'**Fine! But next time, I order **_**you**_** around!'**

Her Pokémon speeding by her, Asuka rushed over to Shinji. She stood with her back to him, keeping an eye on Sandalphon. "So I guess _your_ Pokémon's giving orders to all of _us _now, huh?"

"I guess…"

"You _guess?_ Who's the trainer here?!"

"That's not important right now! I trust him, and that's all that matters!"

"_Trust?!_ Look who's talking…"

"Not now, Asuka!"

Leaping into the air, Combusken engulfed himself in flames once again as he hurled towards Sigilyph. The odd Flying type was not quick enough to react to his boosted speed and took the Flame Charge entirely, and was knocked out of the sky and into a nearby building.

Sahaquiel was less than pleased. Diving for his pistol on the ground nearby, he grabbed the firearm and took aim at Shinji and Asuka. "If I cannot claim this victory, then I will claim your life instead!"

The Angel must have forgotten about the Pokémon above him, for he was oblivious to Combusken directing his Flame Charge straight down onto him. Just as the Pokemon was upon him, he pulled the trigger…

_*FWOOM!*_

Fire erupted from Combusken's impact zone. Shinji and Asuka shielded their faces from the burst of heat, peering through their fingers to see if Sahaquiel was still standing. Thankfully, Combusken had him secured, with one foot placed firmly on the back of his head.

'**You stay right there, pal,' **the chicken smirked, **'Don't try anything funny.'**

"Urrgh…"

"Nice work, Combusken!" Asuka congratulated, just as she remembered that her Pokémon's prisoner had fired a shot before going down. Her heart racing, she spun and grabbed Shinji, looking him over for a wound.

"Wh-What're you doing, Asuka?" Ikari stuttered as Soryu examined him worriedly.

"That bastard shot towards us! He didn't hit _me_, so I thought you might've been…" She heard Shinji laughing at her, and shot him a glare. "The hell are you laughing about?! You could've been killed!"

"So much for you being mad at me, Asuka!" Shinji replied between chuckles. Embarrassed, the redhead shoved him away.

"Don't think I've forgiven you already! Besides, you just said to let it go for a little bit. Want me to bring it up now?"

"Not really," Ikatri sighed, "But wait, if you weren't shot, and I wasn't shot, then who- _Lucario!"_

The two of them spun around to see Lucario standing over Armaldo, the ancient Pokémon bruised and defeated. The hound tilted his head, confused by their worry. **'What is the matter? Is something wrong?'**

"You… You weren't shot?" Shinji asked, "Then where'd the shot go?"

"_AAAAAAGGGHH!"_

All heads turned towards Sandalphon, who was rolling on the ground with his hands between his legs. _"SAHAQUIEL, YOU SON OF A BITCH! YOU SHOT ME IN THE… GAH, IT HURTS!"_

Shinji and Asuka sweat-dropped, unsure of how to think about the current situation. "Man… I almost feel sorry for him," Shinji muttered, "Nobody deserves _that."_

"...For once I agree with you, Baka-Shinji."

Adrenaline pumping, the severely wounded Angel clumsily reached for his own pistol. _"Y-YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS! YOU'LL ALL PAY!"_

Reacting instantly, Lucario prepared to dash and drive the Angel's head into the ground with his bone staff, but stopped himself upon seeing two figures appear behind Shinji and Asuka. "Shinji! Behind you!'

"_Wha-AAH!"_ Shinji and Asuka stood frozen upon seeing the newest arrivals on the scene. They wore masks like the Angels; one that was like the head of an early fetus, and the other decorated with the unmistakable emblem of Seele.

"S-Stay back!" Asuka quivered, cautiously stepping backwards. Combusken jumped to her side, making a fist at the new Angels.

"_HA-HA-HA!"_ Sandalphon cackled, lowering his gun, _"YOU KIDS ARE DEAD NOW! THAT'S LILITH AND ADAM: THE TWO STRONGEST ANGELS! SLIT THEIR LITTLE THROATS, YOU TWO! KILL THEM YOURSELVES!"_

The newcomers stood silent, looking down at Shinji and Asuka. Then, Adam extended his hand towards Shinji. The boy flinched, but was surprised when the hand did nothing more than ruffle his hair.

"You two are pretty tough," Adam said cheerfully, looking at his partner, "What do you think?"

"They sure are," Lilith answered, "Taking down two Angels like this… No wonder Ritsuko entrusted them with the Artifact."

"_H-Hold up!"_ Shinji stuttered, removing the hand from his head, "What's going on here?! How do you know Prof. Akagi?!"

"And why aren't you trying to kill us?" Asuka added, just as puzzled, "You better not be toying around like some sadists!"

"Kill you?" Lilith giggled, removing her mask. Her violet-black hair poured out from within, blowing slightly in the wind. To Shinji and Asuka's surprise she was not some sort of demon, but a surprisingly beautiful woman. "Now, why would we do that?"

Following suit, Adam removed his mask and adjusted his ponytail. "Don't worry, kids. We have no intention of doing anything of the sort. Cross my heart, and swear to God."

The only one more baffled than Shinji and Asuka right now was Sandalphon. He lied on the ground, jaw dropped behind his mask. His pain was slowly being replaced with utter rage. _"Wh… What's going on here?! Who are you people?!"_

The two pseudo-Angels dropped their cloaks, revealing two styled NERV uniforms. The woman wore a black tube dress, with a half-length red leather jacket over her shoulders and arms; the man donned a simple slate gray suit, buttoned up just to his neck. They both drew pistols from their side and aimed them at Sandalphon.

"I guess it's time we properly introduced ourselves," the man looked to is partner, "Name's Ryoji Kaji…"

"And I am Colonel Misato Katsuragi, chief commander of the NERV Tactical Operation Branch and Espionage Division. And now _you_ are under arrest, 8th Angel Sandalphon, as well as _you,_ 10th Angel Sahaquiel, for terrorist activity as well as for crimes against humanity and Pokémon alike."

* * *

The bridge of the Seele Command VTOL was dead silent. Only Bardiel stood within, gazing down at the camera feed from Sandalphon's mask that revealed the true identities of Lilith and Adam. With this betrayal, alongside the capturing of Sahaquiel's entire squad, Seele's army of Angels now sat at less than half its original strength.

But that meant nothing.

Bardiel knew this betrayal would occur soon enough. He had always suspected that Lilith and Adam were hiding something. He was almost certain they were the ones who hacked Iruel's database; this only verified his assumptions.

'_That cocky bastard… Hiding them in plain sight like that.'_

And he would be lying if he said he had not sent Sahaquiel's team on this mission if he didn't expect them to fail miserably. They were the weakest links, arrogant fools who somehow wished to usurp him. They should consider themselves lucky that they were captured by NERV and were spared punishment from his hand.

"So they were allied with NERV after all."

Bardiel was surprised he hadn't heard Zeruel enter the bridge. The hulking Angel stood at the door far behind him, towering like a monolith. "Yes... I never expected that such high ranking officials would be instilled as spies. Luckily they weren't aware of our true plans."

"True plans?" Zeruel asked, "Are we not storming the city?"

"Oh, we are," Bardiel turned around to face the large Angel, "They just won't be aware of _why_ we are. They'll be spending all that time thinking we're after the artifact when, in reality it will already be in our grasp."

"You sound confident, Bardiel… Then if that is true, why attack the city? Wouldn't it be a waste of our resources and time?"

The 13th Angel let out a dry laugh, smiling beneath his mask. _"A waste?_ Of course not. How is killing a couple hundred people a waste? To me… _That sounds like a damn good time."_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Secrets Revealed!_

_Misato and Kaji Join The Team!_


	20. Stage 20: Hagia Sophia

**Hi guys! Don't worry, I'm not dead.**

**I know it has been a while since I've updated any of my stories. Lately, I had been so busy with being back at work for the summer, not to mention all the papers and exams I had a few months ago when my activity took a nose-dive, and I have had little to no time to work on my stories.**

**I finally had time to pump the rest of this chapter out, and I will work to get more published for you all in the time being. So, I hope you enjoy this update for now!**

* * *

The amber afternoon sky was gone now, stars illuminating the night sky above Hoatzin City. The chaos of the Angel attack felt like yesterday's news, with the perpetrators under custody and repairs for the museum already planned out. The Pokémon of the Seele agents had been sent to correctional institutions, where they would be retrained until they were deemed suitable enough for adoption or release into the wild. Surprisingly, the museum curator who had been stabbed by Shamshel had survived his wounds, and was currently in the hospital recovering.

"No major damage was dealt, Vice Commander," Misato stood on the balcony of Shinji's room in the Casa de Paradisia as she spoke with NERV Vice Commander Fuyutsuki over her Pokégear in regards to the incident, "Everything is going smoothly here. The Angels didn't even give us any more trouble after they were apprehended; it was like they knew there was no point in trying."

"Very good, Colonel," the old man answered, "You and Kaji performed your infiltration duties well. The Commander will most certainly be pleased upon hearing this report."

"So will you two still be making the trip out here once the Seele action calms down?"

Fuyutsuki sighed on the other end. "I'm afraid we cannot wait any longer to regain possession of the Azure Flute, Colonel. Once the Commander is finished preparing, we will be departing for Hoatzin City. We hope to be there by tomorrow, if the flight goes smoothly."

"Then we'll be waiting," Misato said cheerfully, "The sooner you arrive, the sooner this whole pointless war come to an end. Katsuragi, out."

The call ended with a beep as Misato looked out at the illuminated city, the square lights of illuminated skyscraper windows forming a beautiful skyline. 'And to think, Seele wants to see this magnificent sight destroyed…' Misato thought. Taking in the view for one last moment, she left the balcony and reentered Shinji's room. The boy sat on the edge of his bed with Asuka on the opposite side, her back turned towards him. Her anger towards him had returned in full, and she refused to even look at him; only the potential revelations of NERV's secrets kept her in the room.

Rei stood by the closed doorway, almost unnoticeable due to her quietness. She would be seated on the other bed occupied by Nagisa until this morning if Lucario, Combusken, and Gardevoir had not completely taken it up with their sleeping bodies. Still, if she had been seated there she would be closer to Soryu, and Ayanami was still wary of being close to the redhead that could snap at any moment. It was a curious case for Rei: why would Asuka be furious with _her?_ Shinji was the one who had done wrong, so then why…?

"I'm back!"

The sudden reappearance of Ryoji Kaji startled Rei as he burst through the doorway. The scruffy man noticed her slight jump, and smiled in apology. "Sorry about that, Rei. Didn't think you would be standing there. The door could've smacked you in the face if you were on the other side, you know."

Unsure of how to answer, Ayanami nodded once then looked down to the floor, returning to her thoughts.

"Always a character," Kaji sighed, removing his jacket and hanging it on the door. He looked to Misato as he pulled out the chair to a desk and sat, balancing on its back legs with his feet propped up on the desk. "So, I got the artifact under close wraps at the museum and all the business with the police force done. I managed to slip outta there once they started to reach for the stacks of paperwork… Figured they could sign in my name, since this is the first time I've gone public in years. It's not hard to forge a signature that doesn't even exist."

Misato responded with a yawn, leaning against the wall. "Of course you run when the hard part comes along. It's just like you."

"Aw, come on," Kaji rolled his eyes at the jab towards their past exploits, "You're really gonna start about that in front of the kids? They certainly didn't stay awake to hear about _that."_

"About what?" Shinji sat up a little, intrigued.

"…On second thought, maybe you're right," Katsuragi smirked at her ex, "It'll only make you look bad."

"Why do you think I was trying to stop you?"

"_Enough!" _Tired of the senseless bickering, Asuka got to her feet and folded her arms in annoyance, "I kept myself awake because you promised to tell me just why the hell Seele wants that stupid artifact, so I expect an answer right now!"

Kaji and Misato shared a glance; this girl liked to get right to the point, it seemed. A nod from the latter signaled that she would start the secret spilling. "So… Before I get to the juicy parts, I think I better start with some history. As in, ancient history. Stuff that happened _way _before the world as we knew it existed."

"Just get to it then," Asuka said with a huff, plopping back down onto the bed.

"I am, I am… Now, do you two know about the Origin Stories from Sinnoh?"

"A few," Asuka answered before Shinji even had the chance to open his mouth, "God created Dialga, Palkia, and Giratina to rule over Time, Space, and Nothingness, and then made Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf to give Knowledge, Emotion, and Willpower to humanity. Eventually the rest of the Legendary Pokémon were created, and God goes back up to his Heaven to watch over the world he started."

"You sure know you're stuff," Misato smiled with a yawn, "But I bet you never heard just _why_ God kicked tail and left us to ourselves."

Shinji let out a small laugh. "I doubt God would run away from something."

"But he did," Kaji chimed in, to Misato's annoyance.

"I was getting to that. You mentioned Giratina, right Asuka? He was the Renegade Pokémon Now, that dragon got his name for turning against God and trying to overthrow him. He failed, and was thrown into what we call the Distortion World. What many people _don't_ know, however, is that Giratina made a _weapon_ to help him usurp the throne."

"A weapon?" Asuka was confused; why would such a powerful Pokémon need to fashion a weapon?

"Yup. The Lance of the Renegade is what we at NERV call it. That lance is composed of an essence that scientists can't even identify; all they know is that it is radiating with pure power of almost nuclear levels. It could surely bring down a God if it was to impale one."

"You… actually have this lance?"

"Just extracted it from the depths of Turnback Cave in Sinnoh a couple days ago," Kaji added again, "If not for me and Misato having been undercover in Seele and directing their operations elsewhere, then those Angels would've had a hold of it a long time ago."

"God left the world because of that lance," Misato continued, "He buried it away deep in that cave, hoping that man would never discover it. He couldn't risk being struck down; if that happened, then everything He ever created would be put at risk. We don't know exactly what might happen if He would be impaled, but we sure as hell don't want to find out."

Shinji took his opportunity to speak of what was gnawing at him. "But what does the Azure Flute have to do with this? Rei said it was the Heart of God, but how could He be up there without his heart?"

"We don't know for sure, but we think it's a sign of trust from Him to us. I don't know exactly how NERV got ahold of it, or where they actually found it, but I do know one thing: a flute is meant to be played."

"I feel sorry for whoever has to play that…" Asuka said in disgust, appalled by the thought of someone playing a tune on a vital organ.

Turning on her Pokégear, Misato pulled up a hologram. It showed what looked like a tablet, inscribed with some strange lettering that neither Shinji nor Asuka recognized arranged on what looked like faintly inscribed sheet music lines. "This is a hologram of a Meadow Plate, one of eighteen different colored stone scriptures that have been found around the world. Scholars believe that these eighteen kinds of tablets are what God used to distribute the power of typing to Pokémon; this Plate would be for the Grass type obviously. But what we at NERV find important are these symbols on the back of every Plate ever found. Each different kind of Plate has a different arrangement of them. We think that they are the notes to the song of the Azure Flute. So far nobody's been able to decipher them, meaning that the song has gone unheard by mortal ears."

Kaji decided to pick up the story as Misato took a drink to soothe her dry throat. "We got a feeling though that the song does something pretty important. Pretty important being that it will summon God-

"_Summon God?!" _Shinji and Asuka exclaimed in unison.

"I said we had a feeling, not that we knew we could give God a direct invitation to a party," Ryoji chuckled to himself, "But it's because of that feeling why we are keeping both this flute and the Lance of the Renegade from Seele in fear of the worst."

Putting two and two together, Asuka came to a quick, dark conclusion. "…They want to _kill God,_ don't they?"

"So it seems. Kill him, capture him, enslave him; either way Seele wants to take his place, just like Giratina tried to do all those eons ago. And that's why NERV is around. Like our motto says: as long as God is in His heaven, all's right with the world."

Shinji sat quietly, absorbing all this information in. Seele wasn't just a clone of Team Rocket, roaming Avia to spread pointless chaos, but were on a mission to bring down God! What kind of humans were they to even devise such a plan? And the worst part was, Shinji knew their goal was not purely fantasy. They could actually succeed if things went wrong for NERV! _'Why would Professor Akagi burden me with that flute knowing all of this? I just wanted to go on an adventure with Lucario, not become a part of a Holy War!'_

"So…" Ikari said nervously, "Now that we gave you guys the flute, we're safe? Me and Asuka and our Pokémon aren't in danger anymore?"

"I wish I could say that," Misato smiled weakly, "But Seele is pretty unpredictable. They might still think you have the flute with you. Don't worry though…"

The woman stood and placed a hand on Shinji's shoulder. The boy looked at her, and then to Kaji and Rei. The man nodded with a smirk, and Shinji could've sworn the corner of the girl's mouth was turned up in a little smile of reassurance.

"We're gonna keep you two just as safe as we did those artifacts. I swear it to you."

* * *

The next day, and the waves of Lake Hoatzin were sparkling in the sunlight. The beach was covered in citizens of the city, some playing in the sand and water while others simply took in the rays. Almost all of the beachgoers had completely forgotten about the terrorist attack that had just happened in their city; those exceptions were Shinji and Asuka. Misato and Kaji had urged them to take some time to relax after all the stress they had been through, and the two of them couldn't agree to it more. However, Asuka was still feeling resentment towards Ikari. She wasn't going to forget about his secret spilling to Rei anytime soon. Speaking of Rei, she had stayed behind in the city to take care of some business; business she was apparently not allowed to share with Shinji.

Ikari sat outside of the women's changing room in a pair of blue swimming trunks with Lucario, Skidoo, and Combusken waiting for Asuka to finish changing. He looked out onto the beach, switching his gaze from the beautiful waves to the beautiful girls; he wasn't a pervert, but he wasn't going to ignore the sights…

'**Shinji? **_**Shinji?'**_

"Uh-!" Shinji blinked, snapping out of his entrainment as Lucario poked him. "Oh, um… Sorry about that, Lucario."

'**I have been trying to get your attention for five minutes,'** the Fighting type raised an eyebrow, **'How did you not hear me?'**

Ikari blushed; he'd rather not say why. "That's… not important. So what's up?"

'I was thinking about the attack last night. The Seele agents we fought felt much weaker than the one we had encountered before.'

"Well, it's probably because we've gotten stronger with our training. You're not exactly a baby Pokémon any more, Lucario."

'**I will not deny that. It is just… They were still on a much lower level. I could sense their aura. They were much more incompetent, **_**desperate**_** almost. Like they knew failure would result in severe punishment.'**

"They did get punished, just by a different group of people. And it's probably better that NERV did so than their bosses. I don't want to even imagine what their leader is like to them…"

'**I bet he's a cannibal,'** Combusken added with a mouthful of Poffin, **'Or maybe a robot. Or both…'**

Lucario looked at the Fire chicken, annoyed. **'Is there cannabis in that Poffin, or are you just stupid?'**

'**Tough words coming from a Steel type I could beat in an instant.'**

'**Is that a challenge?'** Lucario laughed, his aura forming a bone staff. Before things could escalate any more, the changing room door swung open, nailing Shinji in the back.

"_Ow!"_ Shinji winced, rubbing his spine, "Be careful As-

He stopped mid-sentence as he looked up at Soryu, now wearing her two piece swimsuit. Shinji was lost in the red-and white stripes that covered her chest; he hadn't seen Asuka in a swimsuit in years, and she had filled out quite well since her pre-pubescent years. As Shinji's eyes traversed over her half-covered body a second time, the redhead felt he had had enough time to stare in wonder.

"What are you gawking at, pervert?" Asuka sneered, kicking sand in Shinji's face. She stepped over him as he frantically rubbed at his burning eyes. "Come on, Combusken. Let's go find someone to battle."

'**As long as we stay away from that water,'** Combusken stated, following beside his trainer. As they walked away, Ikari slouched up against a nearby pole, still watching Asuka.

'**Is something the matter, Shinji?'** Lucario asked, sensing something different in the boy's aura.

"Its… nothing, Lucario," Shinji sighed. Suddenly the Pokéball on his waist opened on its own, with Skidoo leaping out from it and onto the sand. The boy was quite shocked to see his Pokemon release itself from its ball without command. "Skidoo! How did you-?"

'**I got bored!' **the goat bleated, jumping from side to side excitedly before dashing away onto the beach. Shinji and Lucario stayed there dumbfounded before quickly rushing after the Grass type to make sure he didn't cause _too much_ disruption.

"Hold up, Skidoo!" Shinji called out, leaping over a sunbathing woman, "Don't just rush off like that!"

Skidoo continued to ignore his trainer, sprinting over the beach and narrowly avoiding collisions with people and other Pokémon. He ran at least halfway down the shoreline before spotting something that made him skid to a halt.

'**N-No way…'** the goat quivered, looking up at the Pokémon he couldn't believe was here, **'We-we beat you up!'**

The Pokémon in question hadn't heard him at first, too busy drinking from a coconut cup of Berry Juice as he hovered in the air. Hearing Skidoo's panicked bleating, the Bug-type spun around and came face-to-face with his pesky old adversary.

'**Well, if it izzn't **_**Zzkidoo!'**_ Beedrill buzzed, dropping his Berry Juice and flying down closer to the Grass-type, **'And I zhought zhat I'd never zee you again after our lazzt meeting! Zhat brings you to zis beach? Far from home, izz it not?'**

'**Uh, uh…!'** His legs shaking, Skidoo began to back away as the bug began sharpening his drills. Thankfully, he heard Shinji's calls growing louder as his trainer grew closer. Upon seeing Beedrill, Shinji and Lucario realized the goat was in much more trouble than if he had stomped over a few sunbathers.

'**It is that same Beedrill from the forest!'** Lucario growled, manifesting his bone staff, **'What is it doing here?'**

"I don't know!" Shinji answered before turning to yell at the bug, "Hey, you! Stay away from him, or we'll beat you down again!"

Beedrill looked at the boy, then back to Skidoo. **'Zis boy who zzaved you izz trainer now?'**

'_**Y-Yeah!'**_ Skidoo gulped, gathering courage to stand up to the bug, **'I'm much stronger now that I've trained with him! You better watch out!'**

Beedrill began to laugh, doing a spin in the air. **'Zha-zha-zha! I guezz ze are more alike zhan I zhought! You are not ze only one with a trainer!'**

'He has a trainer as well?' Lucario questioned, channeling his thought to Shinji. The boy was just as surprised as the Pokémon.

"Well, if you do have a trainer then where are they?" Ikari asked.

"Wat's goin' on over here, Beedrill?" To Shinji's surprise, it was a familiar voice calling out to the bug. The trainer in question was walking down the beach towards the four of them, but wasn't alone. At his side was a Dewott, with a stern expression on its whiskered face, and another person with glasses and an Ivysaur that Shinji instantly recognized. When the former boy caught sight of Ikari, an excited grin formed on his lips. "Well, if it ain't da Professor!"

"Hey, Ikari!" the bespectacled boy waved, "How's it going?"

"Toji!" Shinji smiled at the sight of his old friend, "And Kensuke! What are you guys doing here? I thought you guys were staying back home in Merganser Town!"

Suzuhara threw his arm around Shinji's shoulders, pulling him into a playful chokehold. "Well, ya know wat dey say, Prof: When da wilderness calls, da trainers come runnin'! Or somethin' like that…"

"Plus, we heard about this beach having some of the best babes around!" Aida added, his eyes following a pair of busty women walking past, "Pics of these beauties will go for a pretty penny with the right buyer!"

Shinji rolled his eyes. _'Typical Kensuke,'_ he thought with a smile. "So, how did you guys enjoy going through those woods to get here? It took me and Asuka a couple days to make it out."

Toji and Kensuke shared a look of confusion. "Woods?" they replied in unison.

"Yeah… You know, the seemingly endless forest between here and Rhea Village? Did you guys completely forget about going through them?"

"…We didn't," Toji said with raised eyebrow, "We took a train here."

"Yeah," Kensuke pulled out a pair of tickets and handed them to Ikari, "I looked online and saw that there was a train in Kiwi Town departing to here yesterday around 5 PM. So we hopped on, and got here last night. Didn't you know Kiwi Townhad a train station?"

Dumbfounded and in shock, Shinji just stood there in silence with a twitching eye from the revelation that their arduous journey could have been _completely avoided_. Concerned, Lucario tugged at his master's shirt hoping for a response. 'Shinji? Are you okay?'

"...Remind me never to tell Asuka about this, Lucario."

'**That sounds like a wise decision.'**

Regaining himself, Shinji brushed his stress aside and looked back to the Beedrill. "So then, if you didn't travel towards the woods, then how'd you catch this Beedrill? My Skidoo and it have a little bit of a history, involving us, well, kind of beating your Beedrill up for bullying him."

"My Beedrill, a bully?" Toji laughed, giving his Bug a light punch to the thorax, "Nah, dat ain't right. Me an' Kensuke found him not too far from home, by da lake where we fish. Must've been hoverin' for a while, 'cause he came right up ta me beggin' fer water. Heck, he was almost askin' to be caught. He's one of da most kind-hearted Pokémon you'd ever meet."

'**Tizz true,'** Beedrill buzzed, narrowing his eyes at Skidoo in spiteful satisfaction, **'I am juzzt a humble Pokemon, who has fulfilled hizz dream of becoming ze friend of a trainer. No more, no lezz.'**

'**Why, you…!'** An infuriated Skidoo bleated, jumping up and trying to bite the snarky wasp. Lucario pulled him back, glaring at the bug in discontent.

'**You know well of what you have done, Beedrill. If you continue to taunt my friend, I will step up to defend him.'**

Suddenly, a razor-sharp clam shell was being pointed at Lucario, courtesy of Dewott. **'And I'll do the same, buddy. I've gotten a lot stronger since I was an Oshawott in our last battle. And this time you don't have that fire chicken to help you!'**

'**Please; he is more of a hindrance than being help anymore.'**

'…**Really? Like how?'**

'**I'll tell you once I beat you.'** Lucario smirked. Noticing the tension between their Pokémon, Shinji and Suzuhara felt the spark of a battle forming.

"So, ya think ya can win without yer girlfriend wit ya, Prof?"

Shinji looked to his Pokemon, and nodded with a confident smile. "I think I might be able to… Single or Double battle?"

"Let's make it a Double. Two on two, just like da first."

As a crowd of people began to gather around the two young trainers, Kensuke saw this as an opportunity to advertise. Climbing on a rock with Ivysaur beside him, he cupped his hands to his mouth. "Hey, everybody! We've got a battle starting over here! And any of you beautiful ladies who come can get their pictures taken with the winner! Or _me,_ if you want…"

* * *

"Quite the spot to pick for an entrance, huh?"

Using his hand as a shield to block out the sun, Kaji looked up to the sky above the Hoatzin City Pokémon Center. The wind whipped across the roof of the skyscraper, the single-largest Pokémon hospital in the world, making it hard for the man to even stand without the tendency to tilt backwards. A helicopter pad sat a few meters before him; usually used for delivering severely injured patients from afar, today it was bringing an even more important passenger: the head of NERV.

A metal door opened up from behind Kaji, scraping across the steel roof like nails on a chalkboard. An exhausted Misato emerged from the enclosed stairway, followed by a stoic-as-usual Rei, not bothering to close the heavy door behind her. The former collapsed to her knees, breathing heavily.

"You guy's finally made it!"

"Only…_ twenty flights… _of stairs later…"

"I assume the elevator wasn't an option?" Kaji asked rhetorically.

Composing herself, Katsuragi stood, dusting off her red jacket. "There was no way in Hell I was going to share an elevator with a trainer who refused to put his stinking Weezing in a Pokéball… Not to mention it was also having _digestion problems_."

"Ouch. I feel sorry for whoever actually shared it with them."

"You've only got one guy to pity for that one… Wait: how'd _you_ get up here then?"

"The other elevator."

"_There were two?!_ Then why didn't you tell… _You know what?_ Never mind. I'll get back at you for this later. Any sign of the Commander's chopper yet?"

"See that growing black dot?" Kaji said, pointing to the East, "Right there, and closing in fast. It'll only be a few minutes before landing. Anything you want to get off your chest?"

Misato sighed. She glanced at Rei, and in doing so was reminded of the other children involved here. "… Do you think we should have Shinji meet him? I mean, I'm pretty sure they haven't met in years. Heck, he doesn't even know that his father is basically _our boss!"_

"Knowing him, he probably wouldn't want to even see him," Kaji shrugged, lighting a cigarette, "I'm talking about Gendo, obviously. According to his book, it's "All work and no play". Well, maybe more like "All work, and no family connections", if you want to be technical about it."

"I think they should."

Kaji and Misato looked in surprise at Rei, whom they had assumed was ignoring their conversation. The very notion of her contributing without prior orders was quite an astounding thing to them. "…Really?" Misato raised an eyebrow in interest, "What makes you think that?"

Rei looked down at her feet, recalling the short conversation she and Shinji held in the forest cave just a few days ago. "…I think it would make them happy. Ikari showed me what it means to be happy, and it felt… _warm_. It is a nice feeling. I would like for him and the Commander to feel this way as well."

"…Okay then," Kaji muttered, somewhat creeped out by Ayanami's newfound empathy, "We'll, uh, keep that in mind Rei. Because…" he paused as the sound of helicopter blades chopping the air grew louder, "We've got company."

The air began to pick up around the three NERV agents as the deep black helicopter descended onto the building. Misato brushed the hair from her eyes as the aircraft's blades slowed to a stop and the door bearing the symbol of NERV opened. Three security guards emerged from within, each with their own Bisharp standing aside them. The men and their blade Pokemon stood even straighter as the last occupants of the helicopter exited. The first one was taller and quite old, with a pencil-like figure and white balding hair. His eyes were squinty, and his wrinkled face was that of stern seniority.

Behind him the second man emerged, one hand in his jacket pocket while the other adjusted his orange-tinted glasses. An air of intimidation surrounded him, an air that one would feel around someone like a president or general. While not nearly as old as the other man, one could see that he was just as knowing, if not more, than him. As he approached, Misato and Kaji stood at attention, whereas Rei approached and nodded her head.

"Commander Ikari, Vice-Commander Fuyutsuki," Rei said, any trace of her emotion gone, "Welcome to Hoatzin City."

Gendo Ikari looked down on the child, nodding as well. "It is good to see you again, Rei. Artifact 316 has been properly accustomed and treated to prior to arriving in the city?"

"Yes, Commander."

"Very well," Gendo turned to Misato and Kaji, then to Fuyutsuki and the guards. "Come. There is much we must discuss."

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Father and Son: Will They Meet?_

_Plus, Rei Confesses?!_


	21. Stage 21: It Hurts

**Heading back to college tomorrow guys; this time a sophomore with no worries! Chapters _may_ come out quicker now.**

**I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

"Hey, ya got an extra potion or anything, Prof?"

Sitting outside of an ice cream parlor on the Hoatzin Beach's boardwalk, Shinji looked at Toji Suzuhara, sitting by his recently defeated and resting Dewott, and sighed. "Yeah, hold on," he said, reaching for his bag, "I told you we could have gone back to the center and get Dewott healed up before getting ice cream. Besides, they probably have stronger medicine than I could ever have."

Suzuhara shook his head, taking another lick of his ice cream. "No, no, no, Prof. You beat me in dat battle fair and square. I owe you and yer Pokémon some kind of reward for dat achievement."

Kensuke returned to the table with his Ivysaur, the plant-like Pokémon holding two cones with the vines coming from its back. "And the winner rewards the loser with a potion out of pity then?"

"Not pity… More like a donation to friends in need. Ain't that right, Beedrill?" Toji called over his shoulder to the Bug type hovering by himself at an empty table. The once cocky wasp was now groveling in defeat, his thorax having been handed to him by Lucario and, worst of all, _Skiddo_. He ignored his trainer's words with a single buzz, and returned to sharpening his stingers.

Lucario had noticed Beedrill's moody disposition, and knew this battle had humbled the bug who had once bullied and terrorized Skiddo. With the goat having been the one to knock Beedrill out of the battle with a single Headbutt, then teaming with him to defeat Dewott, the hound had a feeling that the wasp would soon have a change of heart. Lucario placed a hand on the goat's head, as the Grass-type munched on a pile of napkins.

'**You did well today, Skiddo. We make quite the team, you and I.'**

'**Yup, yup!'** the goat bleated, a mouthful of paper, **'We're the best!'**

'**Indeed…'** Lucario trailed off, puzzled by just how Skidoo could stand eating napkin after napkin. He turned to Shinji for input, pointing at the napkin in the goat's mouth. **'Should I stop him?'**

The boy sighed, shaking his head. "Nah. He'll learn not to eat things like that once he gets sick. Mother always said the best way to learn is from experience."

"Tell that to my Magikarp," Asuka replied, returning from the stand with a Neapolitan cone, "I tried training with that stupid fish all day and it didn't even evolve!"

"Well, how did you train with it?" Kensuke chimed in, "Throw it into battle first then switch into Combusken for some shared experience?"

"Why the hell would I do that? You know how long that would take?"

"…What did you do, then?" Shinji asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"Remember what I did to Glasses back at Rhea Market? Dumb fish had to have gained a couple levels through all of that."

"Huh - Oh. _That…"_

Toji and Kensuke both shared a glance, puzzled. "Whaddya mean by _'that'?"_

"You'd rather not know."

* * *

They had been talking inside for hours now.

Sitting just outside the door, knees up to her chest, Rei had closed her eyes to rest for a while. She hadn't slept at all last night, having stood flown over the city on Altaria patrolling for any possible members of Team Seele that may have been lurking the streets. Her red eyes had developed dark circles underneath them; a first for her. Never had sleep felt so relaxing.

The solace right now reminded her of a time years ago, back when she had first met Gardevoir as a Ralts. The two of them were much alike, just as they were now. Small, pale, blue, both of them illuminated by the orange hue coming from the large tanks around them. The smell of LCL, the fluid of new life always filled that laboratory. It was a comforting scent, a reminder of home. Of birth.

The first face she ever saw was Commander Ikari's. Their first meeting was brief, lasting for only a few silent moments. Another man was there as well, maybe two. It was all blurry to her, though she remembered the sounds of monitors and typing, mumblings of technicalities she would never understand fully. What Rei did know now was that they were about her. How she was the first to survive.

Where others may have questioned their creators about their artificial life, Rei was content with her existence. To know she was the one who lived meant there was a reason behind it.

"_One lives to fulfill a purpose." _

Those were the first words the Commander had spoken to her, and she held them close to her heart ever since. She had told them to Ralts when the little Pokémon had struggled with her training; Altaria eventually heard them as well after being captured in the wild. Rei vowed to follow those words to her dying breath, to accomplish what those made before her had the potential for but never had the chance to reach.

'_**My lady…'**_

Gardevoir's voice awoke Rei, the girl slowly opening her eyes. She lifted her head, rubbing away the weariness and sand. A heavy worry came over her. Something about her Pokémon's voice had sounded… afraid.

"…Is something the matter?"

'**It hurts… Everywhere, all over, I am having this feeling- **_**Gah!'**_Gardevoir clutched her head in pain, her arms then hugging her body as she slumped down to the ground. Rei reached out to support her trembling Pokémon.

"Stay calm. I will take you downstairs-" Rei reached for Gardevoir's Pokeball, but the Psychic-Fairy clasped her hand in both of hers.

'_**I…**_** I am not sick, my lady… I know that much. This is something much, **_**much**_** worse.'**

Rei looked her Pokemon in the eyes. Was this a premonition? Gardevoir was a Psychic type after all; perhaps she was sensing some terrible event in the future, or maybe… Maybe something currently happening. Either way, she could not leave her post. The Commander himself had told her to stay positioned here. Instead, she would try something else.

Back in the cave, unbeknownst to those in question, she had watched Soryu awaken to sleep alongside Shinji, wrapping her arms around him. The redhead had been tossing and turning for hours just before; the embrace seemed to calm her nerves completely. Though Rei was not feeling anxious, could her embrace help her Pokémon?

Slowly and gently she pulled Gardevoir close, the Pokémon's eyes widening the whole time. _**'M-my lady…!'**_

"It…" Rei stopped, searching for the words, "It is… _alright._ Do not feel afraid. We will be okay." As she spoke, she tightened her hold, until her fingers were locked together firmly. "Please stop trembling. I do not like it."

Gardevoir's amber eyes gazed upon her trainer, shocked and tearing up. She could not believe this was her trainer: Rei was stoic, quiet, but not this! Still… this was growth. Ikari was rubbing off on her. Gardevoir closed her eyes, her trembling gone, as she slipped into sleep in her trainer's embrace.

Staring at the other end of the hall, Rei's blank expression slowly curved up into a small smile.

* * *

"So did you get a look at those guys in the back?"

Feet propped up on his messy desk, the police captain grunted at his deputy as he flipped the page of his magazine. "Those guys with the masks? Yeah, they're freaks all right. Feel bad for that one though. Getting' shot in the nuts like that just ain't right."

"I heard his own partner did it," the deputy answered as he lit a cigarette, staring out the office window at the bustling city streets, "Hell, I'd rather walk into that traffic out there than have that happen to me."

The captain coughed at the rising smoke, walking across the small room to grab a cup of water. "Dammit, Phife! What did I tell you about lighting one up in here?"

"Sorry, captain. Just a habit. Anyways, when are those guys from NERV or whatever they're called coming to pick our boys up?"

"Soon, I hope. Don't really like having high-end criminals like them lying around in the back of a building on Main Street, you know? Especially with just us being here until closing time."

"Yeah, you got a point there…"

The slamming of the front door startled the two officers, both of them spinning to see their panicking visitor. A small, very short boy in a black hoodie was panting and wheezing, with a face as pale as a Froslass. Deputy Fife ran over to him, kneeling to his level. "Hey kid, what up? You look like you've seen a spirit or something!"

"Outside...!" the little kid uttered, pointing to the door, "I-I saw them sneak into the alley! Two guys in scary masks! They looked like monsters!"

The officers locked eyes in disbelief. The captain was quite skeptical of the kid, however. "Are you sure about this, kid?"

"I'll show you! Come on!" Suddenly the kid turned heel and dashed out the door, running left down the street. Without a word, the two officers ran out the door right after him, weaving through the citizens walking the opposite direction.

"Wait up, kid!" the captain yelled as the little child made a sharp left down the alley in question. Following close behind, the officers dashed through the angular corridors as the high buildings began to obstruct the sun from lighting their way. Soon enough, they hit a dead end with the kid nowhere in sight.

"Dammit!" The captain stomped down in a puddle, spraying greenish water everywhere, "This is why I hate kids!"

Behind the captain, the deputy laughed nervously and looked around, scratching his head. "Oh, he's gotta be around here somewhere-

A sickening sound hit the captain's ears: the sound of splattering on concrete. Slowly he turned to see the deputy's gutted body fall to the ground, with the little boy standing before him. A toothy, snarling grin was spread across his face. Whatever this kid was, it sure as hell wasn't human. Raising his gun, the captain took aim at the boy with a shaking hand. He opened his mouth to speak, but the words never escaped him as the stream of fire from the boy's mouth engulfed his body completely. The gun fell to the ground, the charred body following close behind.

'…_**All done.'**_

Falling onto all fours, the shape of the boy turned black and reformed into Zoroark's normal jackal-like appearance. After flicking the blood from his claws, the Dark-type sped back the way he came to the police station, falling invisible as he hit the busy streets. Slinking into the station, Zoroark locked the door behind him and saw his master standing in the center of the room.

"You're back, Zoroark," Kaworu smiled, hands in his pockets, "That took much quicker than expected."

'**They never suspected until it was too late, master,'** the Dark type replied, licking his teeth, **'Shall I deal with the four in the back?'**

"That won't be necessary." A mask that once belonged to Matarael rolled out from down the hallway, speckled with water and blood. The culprit emerged from the shadows of the dark hallway, dissipating the Water Shurikens in his hands. "Bardiel sent his Greninja here to deal with the fallen Angels personally."

'_**Gloryhog…'**_ Zoroark snarled at the black frog as Nagisa's communicator began to beep.

"This is Tabris. I have secured the police station, Bardiel. The Angels Matarael, Shamshel, Sahaquiel, and Sandalphon have been executed as well."

"Perfect," the voice on the other end replied, clearly pleased, "I will have Iruel begin jamming all wireless communication to and from the city. Just plant the virus into the station's main computer, and wait for my next command. It's almost time. I will see you then."

"Of course."

Kaworu closed his communicator, putting it back into his pocket. Zoroark and Greninja looked at him intently, awaiting orders. The Angel smiled at the two Pokémon as he inserted the flashdrive into the big computer on the dead captain's desk. "There is no need to be so astute. We have quite some time before the next stage begins." He stared at the screen as the computer flickered on, Iruel hacking into the city's defense mainframes from miles away.

"The Rebirth is coming," Kaworu whispered, "You will see, Shinji-kun. You and everyone else will find true happiness. I promise."

* * *

Another day was nearing its end. Having parted ways with Toji and Kensuke (who were going to experience the "night life" of Hoatzin City), Shinji, and Asuka made their way back to the Pokémon Center to get their Pokémon back in perfect condition. The setting sun gleamed off the polished floor, forcing Shinji to sit under the shadow of a decorative plant. Asuka sat in the chair on the plant's opposite side, chin resting in her hand, eyes closed. Shinji peeked at her from between the leaves, the golden rays illuminating her red hair like embers.

"Can I _help_ you?" Asuka snapped, Shinji quickly averting his gaze.

"Uh, nothing," he answered, "…How much longer do you think Lucario and the others will take to get healed up?"

"_Why?"_

Shinji paused, taking a glance outside the window behind him. The sun setting over the city probably looked amazing, and the only place to see it in its entirety was from the top of this center. But would Asuka even…? No, probably not. She definitely wasn't the kind of person who would enjoy watching a sunset.

"…Never mind. I'll be back."

"Where are you going?"

"The roof," Shinji picked up his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder, "Just going to watch the sunset. I'll be back."

Asuka perked up a little, peeking over at him. "...And you're not even going to consider asking _me?"_ she questioned, slightly annoyed.

"Do you want to come?"

"I'm not implying that," she lied, hiding back behind the plant, "Besides, even if I wanted to someone's got to stay here and wait for Combusken and your Pokémon."

"Alright then," Shinji sighed, "Just call me on the Pokégear when Lucario and the others come out."

"Whatever."

Ikari walked across the room towards the elevator, thinking about Asuka's response. It was obvious now that she would've come with him if not for the Pokémon. But still, it wasn't like the four creatures would cause any trouble... Okay, maybe that only applied to Lucario, but even then he could keep Combusken and Skidoo in line if he and Asuka weren't around for a bit. Asuka probably realized this too. But then why did she refuse?

Pressing the button to the elevator, Shinji stood and waited for it to descend from one of the upper levels. He looked over his shoulder at Asuka, flipping through her Pokégear's Pokédex to kill time. Was it really so difficult for her to lift that stubborn veil? Was it something in common with all girls?

A loud beeping signaled the elevator hitting the first floor. Shaking his head of his thoughts, Shinji stepped towards the opening doors, not realizing that someone was emerging from within until it was too late. Bumping into the woman's chest, he jumped back, only to see that it was Misato with Kaji, Ayanami, and some men in suits with their Bisharp.

"Oh, sorry about that, Misato!" he replied, blushing, "I should probably look at where I'm going from now on, heh…"

"Shinji!" Katsuragi smiled nervously, wondering just how many people the boy had seen behind her, "Uh, what are you doing here? Weren't you going to the beach today with Asuka?"

"Well, we didn't plan on staying there all day. Besides, we came here just to heal our Pokémon. We might go somewhere else ne-

Then he saw him, standing in the back of the elevator surrounded by the suited men. It had been so long since he had seen him, but Shinji recognized him instantly; not even the beard and orange shades could stop him from recognizing-

"…_Father?"_

Silence. Nobody moved, save Misato stepping out of the way so Shinji could see the Commander without obstruction. All eyes were on them, intent on seeing how this would play out. Even Asuka had noticed something going on, as she was peeking out from behind the bush to view the scene. She didn't know who it was that Shinji was looking at, and held back from running over to see. Maybe she would ask Shinji later about him, if this didn't go so well.

Gendo walked forward, taking slow steps until he was standing over his son, peering down at him from beneath his tinted glasses. The boy was speechless, trying to find the words to say to his father, wondering if he should hug him like how they do in the movies after a long reunion. Before he could even act, Gendo spoke.

"Shinji. It has been a while."

Nothing.

No smile. No tears. Not even the slightest sound of compassion was in Gendo's voice, and Shinji couldn't believe it. Was this really his father, or just a clone? Or had he always been like this? Had Shinji just forgotten all about him in those eleven years?

".Y-yeah, it has," Shinji answered, near frozen in disbelief, "…How have you been?"

"Fine."

'_An arrow to the heart,'_ Misato winced inside; she shared a look with Kaji, who closed his eyes in agreement. This was painful to watch.

"I see…" Shinji looked at his feet. His legs were shaking. But why was he still trying to talk? "So… I guess you're in charge of NERV?"

"Correct."

"… So you guys have the artifact now? Seele can't take it-

"I have no times for questions like that," Gendor interrupted suddenly, walking straight past Shinji, "Fuyutsuki, guards. It is time to go. Katsuragi, Kaji, Rei. You may do as you please. Report back to base in 48 hours"

"Yes, Commander," the three in unison said quietly.

As the suited men and Bisharp followed the Commander, Shinji fell to his knees, no longer able to stand. The moment Gendo and his group walked out the front door, Misato knelt down by the now crying Shinji and pulled him close. Ayanami was more or less dumbfounded by this outcome. Reunions were supposed to be warm, happy. This felt cold. _'I… do not understand…'_

"I'm so sorry Shinji," Katsuragi soothed, the child sobbing into her breast, "I was hoping you wouldn't see him. It's why I didn't tell you he was coming. I'm sure he still cares about you."

"Th-That's not it…" Shinji sniffed, wiping away his tears. "He… He didn't…"

Her attention fully on the scene, Asuka was unaware that her and Shinji's Pokémon had returned. Combusken was at her side holding Magikarp under his arm as Lucario and Skidoo ran to their distressed trainer. **'Uh… Any clue what's goin' on here, Asuka?'** the chicken asked.

She didn't answer.

"What is it Shinji?" Misato pleaded Shinji, grabbing his shoulders gently, "You can tell me. _Please."_

"…He didn't ask about Mom."

* * *

Asuka had never seen Shinji this broken. Sitting on her bed she stared at the boy out on the balcony, staring at the moon so intently. He looked like an empty shell, a mannequin with nothing to say. Lucario had told Asuka that the man he had met was his father. She only had a faint memory of the man, but from what little Asuka had seen of Gendo she could still see the father of her best friend underneath the suit. She remembered that he always was quite odd when she and Shinji were children, rarely playing with them and quite awkward at times. He was a big geek, one with a good heart but little social experience.

But he was never cold. No wonder this had disturbed Shinji.

'**He's so…Calm right now,'** Lucario mused, tapping into his trainer's aura, **'Hurt, but not as torn apart as earlier. He is putting everything together.'**

"You don't say…" Asuka murmured, flopping back on the bed. Combusken was snoring beside her, arms and legs sprawled out on the bed, oblivious to everything.

'**You haven't spoken to him yet.'**

"… I know that. I don't need to. You told me everything."

'**But you are his friend. Are you afraid to?'**

"_Excuse me?"_ Asuka sat up in a flash, glaring at the hound. "What gives you the right to say that to _me?"_

'**Because I know why you will not speak to him.'**

She paused. Lucario had hit the nail.

'**I know about her, Ms. Soryu. I was there when he told Rei. Shinji felts like he has lost someone completely. You can sympathize with him. Do not be afraid. **_**Please**_** talk to him.'**

A moment passed before Asuka sat back up. Throwing a blanket over her bare shoulders, she stared at Ikari for a bit, thinking of what to say. How could she possibly help him if she had yet to fix herself?

Shinji had heard Asuka's feet hit the floor, and he looked back at her from the corner of his eye. Still, he said nothing.

"So…" Asuka began, inching closer to him. The wind outside was cold, making her shiver the more she moved. "I just want to say… I'm sorry."

"You're… sorry?"

"Yeah. About how I acted after hearing what you told Rei… I shouldn't have acted like that. And I'm sorry about what happened to you earlier, too."

He didn't answer her this time. Asuka had thought that would have fixed it all, that he'd stop being gloomy and get some rest. But no, he _had_ to be difficult. Then she remembered that field of flowers in the woods, and what she was told there. For the first time, it truly made sense to her.

"You know what someone told me once?"

Curious, Shinji turned around a little. "…What?"

Asuka sighed. This was so corny, but it might just work. "You… Just have a bit of faith, okay? Acting all sad and all won't get you anywhere. It's not a good way to live. Besides, your father is in charge of NERV. There _must_ be a good reason behind all of this."

"But… He didn't even mention Mom…"

"So what? He probably doesn't have time to think about her. That doesn't mean he hates her, does it?" Asuka was out on the balcony now, standing beside Shinji. The blanket around her was whipping in the wind, almost opening like a parachute that could blow her away. She noticed this, and she noticed Shinji was shivering as well. Grabbing a handful of blanket, she shoved it into Shinji's hands. "Take it."

He obeyed, straightening the cover and throwing it over his shoulders. He could feel Asuka's warmth as her arm touched his. They were both looking out at the city now, with its rainbow lights twinkling and moving.

"…Thank you, Asuka," Shinji whispered.

"Shut up, baka-Shinji."

Asuka saw his face illuminated by the moon, and was entranced. Her hand slowly reached towards his, her fingers wrapping around his. Ikari flinched as she tightened her grip, but relaxed quickly as she shifted her body closer to his. The girl was about to raise her arm to his cheek, to turn his face towards hers, to bring them as one in the moonlight…

When the explosion went off.

The children jumped at the deafening boom, their eyes scanning the city for its source. Lucario was at their side in an instant, Combusken awakening with a scream and falling off the bed to the floor face-first.

'**Are you alright?'** Lucario barked, worried, **'What was that?!'**

"I don't know!" answered Shinji, "I don't-

"_Shinji…"_ Asuka shuddered, stepping back from the balcony pointing out towards the city. _"Look!"_

Ikari's eyes widened in fear as he saw the Hoatzin Pokémon Center, the central hub of the city, tumbling down, a great mass of fire and smoke rising from its base. And in the sky behind it, he saw a fleet of what looked like airships heading straight towards the city from the mountains, with their cannons beginning their fire down upon the metropolis. One shape stood out, however: a skinny, snakelike form, twisting and turning before the fleet. And atop that shape stood the mastermind behind the coming assault.

Arms spread wide atop Rayquaza, Bardiel turned looked down upon the city a mile below him. His rasping voice was being broadcasted from the airships, for all to hear. "Citizens of Hoatzin City! We are Seele, the soul of the one true serpent, protector of the Tree of Knowledge! You have tasted our fruit, and thus God shall place judgement upon your souls!"

What remained of the Pokémon Center had all but crumbled to the ground in an inferno. Soon, from the missiles fired down into the city emerged various production classes of EVA drones, wielding weapons ranging from machine guns to swords to battle axes. Bardiel watched with a smile as the purge began.

"And God damns you all to Hell."

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Escape The City!_

_Seele's Assault Begins!_


	22. Stage 22: Strife

"_Da hell is happenin'?!" _Sprinting down the street with Kensuke close behind, Toji glanced up at the night sky as dozens of hostile aircraft fired upon the skyscrapers towering above them. Debris flew down like rain, small pebbles pelting off their heads as the air filled with the screams of civilians running for their lives. _"I knew we should've headed home after we met da Prof!"_

"Shut up and run!" Kensuke pushed his friend out of the way, running ahead of him. Soon though he skidded to a stop as a tall, black form emerged from an alleyway. The drone turned its eight green eyes on him and raised its rifle to fire.

"_Beedrill, take it out!"_

Zooming over Kensuke's head, Toji's Beedrill accelerated and stabbed the EVA Unit through the head with his hand-stinger. The drone fell to the ground, sparking from where the Bug had struck it. Sitting on the ground shaking, Kensuke looked back at his friend. _"Th-Thanks!"_

"_Get up!"_ Suzuhara stuck his hand out, pulling Aida up, "We gotta find Ikari and Soryu! We'll get outta dis mess _together!"_

* * *

Misato jumped over the desk in the lobby of Casa de Paradisia, firing off three bullets at the trio of EVA Units that had broken through the front door. Bodies of hotel workers littered the ground before them, unable to escape the onslaught of bullets the drones had unleashed. Behind the desk, Kaji gripped his right arm, having taken a stray shot as the EVAs entered.

"Where's Rei?!" Misato shouted over the gunfire. One of her bullets struck a drone between its robotic eyes, taking it out. It was the only way to subdue them; the other shots penetrated the armor, but dealt no damage. Misato had to be wary of her aim. The drones stood in front of the large fish tank that ascended to through the hotel. One misfire and…

"She went for the kids!" Kaji replied, ripping off a piece of his shirt and tying it around his wound, "She's going to get them out of here on Altaria! Probably already has them with her now!"

'_Good,'_ Misato thought, _'At least they're safe. But we're not.' _They needed a distraction, or she and Kaji were going to be just like the hotel workers. Grabbing the Pokéball on her waist, she kissed it for good luck. "I hope your hide is tougher than ever right now! Go, Pen-Pen! Hydro Pump!"

Throwing the sphere, a large, royal Empoleon emerged, landing with a thud. The EVA's opened fire on it, but their bullet's bounced off the Water-Steel type's hardened wings. Opening its beak, it shot a powerful stream of water at the two EVAs, knocking them off their feet.

"Guess I'll help out a bit too!" Kaji tossed his Pokéball over too, "Scizor, use Bullet Punch!"

Landing beside Pen-Pen, the red iron bug dashed forward and struck one EVA in the head with a flurry of metallic punches, before doing the same to the other. Their foes destroyed, Misato and Kaji stood, urging for their Pokemon to follow.

"So, where do you think the Commander is?" Kaji questioned, "You think he's left the city already?"

Misato opened the emergency exit, the alarm siren already blending in with the multiple others outside. "I saw his chopper sitting on the center as it went down. He's still here somewhere, and we have to find him!"

The two agents and their Pokemon made their way into the streets, doing whatever they could to avoid the sight of any EVA units. Misato looked up at the mass of ship, searching for the slim form of Bardiel's Rayquaza when suddenly she heard the dragon's roar coming from the other end of Main Street's road.

"Get down!" Pulling Misato to the street, Kaji pushed her down to the ground as a jet of fire filled the entirety of the road. Right behind it was the black Rayquaza, a blurry shadow as it passed by. From the ground Misato saw for an instant its rider look at them, his yellow eyes glancing at them for a fleeting moment before he ignored them and headed for his target: the only untouched skyscraper in the city.

* * *

"_I don't… I don't believe this…"_ Trembling, Shinji gazed at the city from atop Ayanami's Altaria. They had flown outside of the city limits, but they could see the airships advancing their way. The Casa de Paradisia was crumbling down under the pelting gunfire; like all of the other building, nothing inside of it could have survived the bombardment. They were just inside of that building; they could be dead right now. And then there was Toji, Kensuke, Misato, Kaji… heck maybe even his father too! What was happening to them right now?!

This was nothing like Seele's previous attacks. There was not one or two or four agents behind this. There was no fighting chance here.

This was a slaughter of man and Pokemon alike.

"Monsters…" Asuka snarled, her fists clenched tightly, _"They're monsters! How can they do this?! They're… They're killing those people!"_

"They are not human," Ayanami replied calmly, "EVA Units are carrying out the assault. They are programmed for this. No emotion… No empathy."

"_God-dammit!"_ Soryu's voice cracked. She wanted to kick something, throw something, anything to stop her from bursting out in tears! This was Hell below them! How could this be happening?! Damn Seele! Damn them all!

Lucario stood behind Shinji, glaring at the carnage. His paw was placed on his trainer's shoulder, using his aura to keep him from breaking down. Combusken was sitting beside him, head down. **'If we were stronger, we could make a difference,'** the chicken muttered, **'I hate us running like this.'**

'**It is for our safety,'** Lucario answered, **'But… I agree. We have to stay safe.'**

'**For how long though? What're those bastards gonna do after this? Heck, your trainer's friends are still probably down there! Not to mention his dad might be there too with the - !'**

Silence. Lucario looked at him with wide eyes, then to Shinji, who had heard Combusken's words through his Pokemon's mental connection.

"He still has the Flute…?" Shinji mumbled, processing the grim reality of the situation, _"My dad still has the Flute! We have to go back!"_

"We do not have to return," Rei answered, "We must escape, whether the Commander is still in the city or not."

"But is my dad still there?!"

"Yes."

"Then we _have_ to! He has-

"He does not have it." All turned to Rei in disbelief. She stared back, grabbing Shinji's backpack and pulling out the familiar case from within.

"But…" Ikari tried to answer, "I… I thought it was in the museum for my dad to pick up! I even handed it over to Kaji-

"I was instructed to switch the cases by the Commander himself. He anticipated that these events may occur from the very beginning; it was his decision to avert having the artifact located outside of Nerv possession from the moment we arrived in the city. It would then be transferred back to Nerv HQ to be properly contained or destroyed, if the situation required its destruction."

"So the one we saw wasn't even real?!" Asuka snapped, not amused by the whole charade, "When did you switch them on us?!"

Rei hesitated. "…I am not allowed to disclose that."

"_Tough-shit!"_ Grabbing the blue-haired girl by the collar, Soryu was moments away from having her mind wiped by Gardevoir. The Psychic Fairy's eyes were glowing menacingly, her hand emanating a pink aura towards Soryu. "…Tell us. _Now!"_

"…In the cave. The night before the EVA Unit attacked."

That was it. She had had enough. Raising her fist Asuka struck Ayanami across the face, and Gardevoir immediately retaliated. _"You bit-AAAAGGHHH!"_

Asuka fell to her knees, gripping her head as Gardevoir began probing her mind and invading it with painful Psychic energy. **'I told you **_**never**_** to touch her again!'**

Suddenly, Gardevoir's hand was in the grip of Combusken's flaming claws, his other hand a fist burning with the same intensity. The chicken hated doing this to the one he admired, but he couldn't allow his trainer to be subjected to such overwhelming power. _**'Let her out of it! Do it!'**_

For Combusken being quite a few levels behind her, Gardevoir's arm felt like it was being crushed by a level one hundred beast. Like the chicken, she didn't want to inflict pain on him either, but she knew she could force him off in an instant. **'Combusken… Do not make me hurt you too…!'**

"_STOP IT!" _Breathing heavily, Shinji stood looking over everyone, "…We can't do this now! We're all afraid right now, but we can't take it out on each other! Let's just calm down… _Okay?"_

Closing her eyes, Gardevoir nodded and released Asuka from her mental attack; almost instantaneously Combusken released his grip as well. The redhead wiped her eyes, turning to glare at Rei one last time. Ayanami wiped a trickle of blood from her lip, the red a blemish on her pale skin.

Shinji took hold of his backpack, carefully putting the artifact back inside. "You didn't have to keep it a secret from us, Rei. We're your friends." He heard Asuka scoff at that, but ignored it. "You don't need to follow your rules so strictly if it's for the better. You aren't a-

"…A robot?"

Rei sat silent after that, looking at her hand with the red bloodstain. She was not born naturally, she knew that. Still, the way she was taught was indeed like that of a robot. Follow orders. Do not disobey. From the very beginning she was trained to be the perfect agent for the Commander, and she had been content with that, only if because she knew nothing else. But now she could see it: she could bleed. Robots couldn't bleed.

"I don't want the Commander to die," she said, still gazing at her hand, "I don't want Colonel Katsuragi or Captain Kaji to die, either. They… I feel happy around them. Like I do with Gardevoir and Altaria. And you, Shinji. I want to follow my orders to please the Commander, but… There is something else that alludes me I want to follow too."

Her hand slipped into that of Shinji's, the boy kneeling in front of her. It was just as warm as before. "That's your heart, Rei," he smiled, "It is okay to follow it. It's the most powerful thing you could follow. If it wants you to go back and save my dad, then don't reject it. Besides, your heart isn't the only one that wants to go back."

Rei looked at him, then to the others. Gardevoir, Altaria, Lucario, Combusken, even Asuka, all of them felt the same way as Shinji. And even though the most logical decision was to escape with the artifact back to Nerv HQ, Rei couldn't deny the heart within her that was beginning to bloom.

"Altaria. Take us back."

* * *

The room was dark, bar the flashing of the outside explosions illuminating through the large panoramic window of the suite. Gendo Ikari sat in a chair in the corner of the room that allowed him to see the carnage outside. It was almost as he had expected; only the size of the air fleet had mildly surprised him. Well, that and one other thing,

"Did you think you were the only one with sleeper agents, Ikari?" The man in black aimed his gun at Gendo and Fuyutsuki, smirking. The bodies of the other two guards were lying across the room, cut up and eviscerated. Their Bisharp had turned on them the moment their true trainer, the double agent, had given them the command. "I'm surprised at how calm you are right now. There are three Bisharp and a gun aimed on you both. I'd be quaking in my boots right now if I were you."

"You are not me," Gendo stated coldly, "Right now I am retracing my steps to figure out when I had become careless when recruiting traitors like yourself."

"Seele promises more than you, _Commander,_" the traitor retorted, "You've got all these people working for you, yet tell most of them absolutely _nothing._ Hell, I didn't even know Katsuragi and Kaji were the Angel imposters until today! I only switched sides when I realized that siding with you would get me nowhere. Some Commander you are."

"And you believe siding with them would?" Fuyutsuki answered loudly, almost angrily, "Do you not see what they are doing out there?"

"Just the price people have to pay for a better tomorrow."

The door to the room opened, a surge of light flowing in. A silvery-haired boy stepped in, a Zoroark and a shiny Greninja by his side. Gendo instantly recognized the boy and the shiny Pokemon, his worst predictions coming true.

"Hello, Commander Ikari," Kaworu smiled, bowing his head, "Do you remember me?"

"Kaworu Nagisa," Gendo said, bent over with hands covering his mouth, "So he did go through with it… You look quite similar to how he once did."

"I am surprised you do not compare me to Rei Ayanami. Are we not similar?"

"Only in birth."

"Interesting," Nagisa smiled, turning to the sleeper agent, "You did well, Agent Turel. The Commander will be pleased to learn of your success."

The suited man saluted the boy with his free hand. "It is my honor, Agent Tabris. I expect my reward will be plenti- _SHEEAAGGHHH!"_

With an agonizing scream of pain the double-agent fell to his knees, one of his Bisharp having sliced him across the back. The three Dark-Steel types stood over him, two grabbing hold of his ankles and dragging him out towards the hall, the other with red-stained blades following after.

"There is no reward," Kaworu answered, closing his eyes, "Though you pledged yourself to Seele, you still were once tied to our enemy. To prevent any possible altercations, the Commander ordered you be eliminated once your role was finished. Ironic isn't it, how you had been training with these Bisharp, your executioners, this whole time?"

"_N-No! You can't do this!"_ As the double agent pleaded for his life, Zoroark snickered as the Bisharp pulled him out into the hall, slamming the door behind them as their "master" began to scream in agony. Gendo's eyes bore into the ethereal boy, the monster his research had helped create.

""You feel nothing for him?"

Kaworu cocked his head in surprise. "…Should I? I never felt anything of him. He had a purpose, and he served it."

Unmoving, Gendo's eyes shifted to the window. "So is that what _he_ thinks of you as well?"

"…I do not under-

It was then the panoramic window shattered, glass fragments and gusts of wind flying into the room. Outside, the black Rayquaza twisted and slithered in the air as its master calmly stepped off of it and into the room. His black armor reflected the moonlight outside as his metal arm morphed into a heated blade he aimed directly at Gendo.

"Impressed, Gendo?" Bardiel said, displaying his blade arm to Ikari, "You thought this couldn't be done. But look at me now. Do you still doubt me?"

"I am not impressed by insanity."

"You still think that of me? Apparently you do not know the definition of insanity. I am advancement, not repetition. I am the future, Gendo."

"Even after all of these years, you have never learned, have you… Bardiel, is it now?"

"No formalities, Gendo. You can still call me by my name. I don't mind."

Fuyutsuki absorbed the conversation before him; he had known Commander Ikari for years now, ever since Nerv had been formed. However, he was never aware the Commander had once been familiar with an Angel, let alone the one in charge of this assault. Going against his usually quiet demeanor, Kozo had to feed his curiosity. "Ikari… Who is this man?"

Gendo was silent, glaring at Bardiel from behind his tinted lenses. The Angel took a step forward, stabbing the desk with his blade and leaning over it to get face-to-face with Fuyutsuki. "So he didn't even tell his second in-command everything this time, too? I'm disappointed in you, Gendo... To put it simply, without me you wouldn't be standing there, old man. Someone had to come up with the secret to creating those children and Pokemon."

Fuyutsuki was not intimidated by the Angel. He stood tall, unwavering, memories of a conversation with Gendo returning. There was a name, one that was eluding him. It had to be this person standing before him.

Sensing the old man's refusal to show fear, Bardiel stepped back. "You have picked a good partner, Gendo. Do you think he is an improvement over me?"

"Of course. Even a child would be a more stable ally than yourself… _Keel Lorenz."_

The Angel laughed, clapping. "So, you do remember! I am honored, Gendo. Truly."

"…You know it isn't here, don't you?" Gendo asked bluntly. He was growing tired of Bardiel's talking.

"I know you, Gendo. You always love to look ahead. That's why you got rid of me, remember? I was a threat to your ideals. Of course I knew you'd have that little heart out of here by now."

"Then why attack the city?"

"The question, Gendo, is why not? I have an army; you can clearly see that. Most of the Angels think they obey a higher power, when it's just me with a bit of technological assistance. I need to show my superiority over not just them, but these commoners who worship that… That _beast_, you so strive to meet. My forces need to be prepared to not only fight off a false God, but how to fight for one who will be their true God soon enough."

In the blink of an eye, Zoroark and Greninja were at Gendo and Fuyutsuki's throats, claws and a Water Shuriken ready to decapitate them both. Bardiel nodded to Kaworu who took his leave out the door, no longer needed for this part of the mission. "But that is aside the point. What I want are the coordinates to your base. It's the only place left to send the artifact, is it not? We can do this the easy way, where you just spill it and I kill you both here. Or, there is always the second option… I think you know where I'm going with that one, old friend."

Before Gendo could even defy him, a large burst of energy outside struck Bardiel's Rayquaza, knocking it away from the window. A cloud of mist creeped into the room as Rei and her Altari descended into view, Shinji and Asuka on its back. Lucario, Combusken, and Gardevoir leapt into the room, distracting Greninja and Zoroark from Gendo and Fuyutsuki for the moment.

"Dad!" Shinji yelled, "Come on! We're here to help!"

Asuka was peering over the fluffy wings at the street below, where the Rayquaza was quickly recovering from Altaria's Dragon Pulse. "Make it fast! That thing's already getting up!"

Gendo gave a stern look to Rei. "…I told you not to come back."

The girl was unflinching, even in her scolding. "I will not leave you behind, Commander."

"How honorable!" Bardiel laughed, his blade arm emanating heat, "What a pet you have! Wouldn't it be even better if she brought back your artifact like a dog would a bone?" Seeing the subtle change of look on Gendo's face gave Bardiel all the information he needed. Turning back to Rei, he smiled.

"Good girl... Good, obedient girl…"

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Confrontation!_

_Seele's True Leader Attacks!_


	23. Stage 23: Fall Down

"_Agent Zeruel!" _

The large Angel stood atop a downed pickup truck observing the siege as an EVA Unit ran to him, carrying two Pokéballs in its hand. Unmoving, Zeruel took the sphere and grasped it tightly. "Ah… I seem to have forgotten them."

"All Angels are required to have their Pokemon on hand at all times for this assault! You are no exception!"

"It was a simple mistake… Is that what _Bardiel_ ordered told you to say?"

"Commander Bardiel is heading the assault. We are _all_ under his jurisdiction."

Of course. Zeruel knew that hack was using this attack to rally the rest of Seele under him, to serve him like common lackeys. The other Angels would admire him as their messiah, the one who laid waste to the grand city of Hoatzin. He already had these robots obeying his every word; now _they_ were trying to put _him_ into submission _for_ Bardiel. Coward.

"We shall see about that."

Throwing one of his Pokéballs, Zeruel's largest Pokemon emerged pounding the ground with its giant fists. The ancient Normal-type golem's six multi-colored eyes scanned over its surroundings, the tips of its bushy green brows extending its height to that of a three-story building. It moved slowly forward, its ability hindering it from going all out immediately.

"Regigigas, Hyper Beam."

Its eyes shining with rainbows of color, the Colossal Pokemon thrust back its arms as the beam erupted, tearing a rift through the street and sending cars, people, and Pokemon alike into the air and surrounding buildings. As the attack ceased, two figures cowered in a shadowy alley.

"Th-That's a Regigigas!" Kensuke stammered, wrapped comically around his Ivysaur, "When did Seele recruit Legendary Pokemon to do their bidding?!"

"I think dat thing's Shiny too!" Toji responded, pointing at the giant's purple coloring, "Da one in da Pokédex was yellow! How'd they even git one like _dat?!"_

Behind Toji, Beedrill and Dewott shared a glance as they saw the Legendary begin to move again. **'…Itzz getting worzze,'** the bug said, **'I don't like where ziz izz going.'**

'**You got that right,'** the Water type replied calmly, tugging on his trainer's jacket, **'Let's keep going. There has to be help somewhere.'**

Suzuhara took a deep breath. "Yer right, Dewott, Come on, Kensuke."

His friend didn't move.

"Come on, Kensuke!"

"Toji… It's looking right at us!"

"Huh- AW SHIT!"

Looming over them, the Regigigas' hands were crushing the corners of the buildings beside the boys. Its six eyes were locked on them and their Pokemon. They began glowing once again; a rainbow of destruction. As the boys quaked in their boots, a sudden gush of water struck the giant between its eyes, forcing it back. An Empoleon and his trainer ran up behind them, the woman tugging at their shirts.

"What are you two kids doing?!" Misato yelled at the boys as they ran from the recovering giant, "Were you thinking about fighting that Regigigas?! That thing would've stomped on you _and_ your Pokemon!"

"_Hey, lady!"_ Suzuhara snapped, nearly running over a garbage can, "I don't know who ya are, and I really don't appreciate ya ordering me an' Kensuke here around! Even if you are hot!"

"_What did you just say?!"_

"It was a compliment!"

'_Kids these days…'_ Misato groaned, _'Kaji better have found an SUV or something…'_ She then realized that their escape party was getting pretty large; adding in Rei, Shinji, Asuka, and all of their Pokemon once they reunited, of them heading back to HQ. The problem soon wouldn't be reuniting with them, but actually finding a way for all of them to get back to base! Still, Misato couldn't leave these two behind to die. She'd never forgive herself for that one.

The alleyway led into a near-empty parking lot. Kaji's Scizor stood watch by a black pickup-truck, and tapped on the window once it saw Misato and the boys. "She brought company," Kaji sighed to himself, returning Scizor to his Pokeball, "Didn't Ritsuko warn you about picking up young boys?"

"Go die," Katsuragi muttered as she climbed into the truck. The boys returned their Pokemon and followed her in, squeezing themselves in the backseat. Pen-Pen climbed onto the back bed, keeping an eye out for any EVA drones. "Get on 7th Street, then turn right. It'll take us right out of this city."

Kaji nodded, hitting the gas. As they picked up speed going down the road, Pen-Pen used his Hydro Pump's intense pressure to give them a little more boost. The Water-Steel penguin soon directed his attack towards the EVA units that began firing at them from the side streets. Weaving in-and-out of moving and destroyed cars, Kaji was in complete focus. One slip-up and they were done for. "You think Rei got them out of the city yet?" he asked Misato. The woman bit her lip as the truck ran over the broken body of a man, shot down by Seele.

"God, I hope so."

* * *

It was a stare-down on the balcony. Bardiel laughed as he a blade from his other arm, sharpening the dual weapons off each other as he slowly approached the children and their Pokemon. Shinji flinched at the sound of the metal scraping; even atop Altaria this man made him feel uneasy. He could see his father and Fuyutsuki standing face-to-face with a shiny Greninja and a Zoroark with…

No.

_No. _

There was no way! It _couldn't_ be him! Why would he be with Seele?!

"K…Kaworu?" Shinji looked upon the silver haired boy behind the two Dark-types in disbelief. Nagisa returned the gaze with a smile. _"K-Kaworu! Wha-Why?! What are you doing with them?! I thought you were my friend?! You saved my life!"_

Nagisa looked away, the ethereal grin still on his face. "We still are, Shinji-kun. It has to be this way. For the good of all mankind, some must die so the righteous can live. All you must do is hand the artifact over to Bardiel. As long as you do not resist, then everything will be right for us."

"Listen to Tabris, boy," Bardiel beckoned with his blade, "I'll spare you. _I promise."_

"Don't listen to him, Shinji!" Gendo ordered loudly, glaring at his son, "Rei! I said to escape. _Now go!"_

The blue-haired girl hesitated, weighing her options. She had followed her heart here, to save the Commander for Shinji, but… Had she made a mistake? "I… I am not sure what to do…"

"_GO!"_

As Gendo's stern voice hit her ears, another roaring sound came from below Altaria. The black Rayquaza was shooting up the side of the building, its jaws open and spewing flames. Pulling on Altaria's antennae, the fluffy dragon nearly knocked Shinji off as it reared back to escape the Flamethrower.

'**Shinji!'** Lucario acted fast, grasping his trainer tightly by the hand, **'I got you! Hold on tight!'**

The Rayquaza stopped by the broken window, peering in at its robotic trainer. Bardiel nodded to the beast as Altaria began to grow smaller in the distance. "Pursue them. I will deal with the old men."

With a loud hissing roar, the black serpent twisted and shot after the children. Pleased with his beast's obedience, Bardiel faced Gendo and Fuyutsuki. "Those children are going to die because of you. I hope you realize that. They could've handed it over, yet you had to play with your little doll and refuse their help. Would it really have damaged your ego so much to be rescued by those children? You had them carry the heart of God with them, yet won't entrust your own life with them? I remember why I left you now… That arrogance of yours is truly sickening!"

The Angel leapt with blinding speed, his blades emitting an amber red glow. Instinctively, Gendo reached into his coat for his Pokéball to find only a gun, then remembering he hadn't brought his sole companion with him. It was a conflicting decision to leave it behind; though the Pokemon could utterly destroy anything in front of it, there were times that Gendo felt he couldn't control the powerful creature alone. Even if he had it here to stop Lorenz and Seele, who knows how it would act afterwards.

Noticing Gendo's inability to act, Fuyutsuki released his own Pokemon. Bardiel's dual blades were soon caught in the grip of a large iron arm, which then lifted him off his feet and tossed him into the opposite wall. Fuyutsuki took note of the child Angel and his two Dark types as he laid his hand on his quadruped Steel-Psychic Pokemon.

"My Metagross is more than capable of handling your Commander, child. And though he may be at a disadvantage against you and your master's Dark types, my experience should be more than enough to defeat you."

Kaworu gave the man his usual smile. "Then let us find out, Vice-Commander."

* * *

A gunship missile whirled past Altaria, its fiery trail dropping embers onto the dragon's riders. Shinji frantically brushed the burning crumbs off his shoulders, his white shirt speckled in singed spots. It was nothing compared to the roaring serpent following behind them, still spewing fire from its maw.

"Damn, that thing's persistent!" Asuka grabbed Rei by the shoulder and shook her. "Go faster! It's already catching up!"

"This is as fast as we can travel…" Rei paused, calculating possible outcomes. The Rayquaza was immensely powerful, but Gardevoir had a type advantage over it. No matter the level gap between the two Pokemon, any of her Fairy type moves could hold it at bay to a degree. "Gardevoir, use Dazzling Gleam!"

'_**Yes, my lady!'**_ The Psychic-Fairy spread her arms, forming a volley of light that shot at and bombarded the Rayquaza. The black dragon roared in pain as pure energy struck him, yet broke through with a roar. Gardevoir attacked again but the dragon saw it coming, slinking under the Dazzling Gleam and firing a Dragon Pulse in return. Altaria nearly missed being struck by the powerful energy beam, barrel-rolling to the side. Asuka and Shinji clung on with all their might, as did their Pokemon.

"It didn't even hurt it!" Shinji said, straining as he held onto the fluffy wing, "We can't defeat it! _What are we going to do?!"_

The gears still turned in Rei's head. She looked down at the city below, noticing the formations of Seele forces occupying the maze of streets. They had tanks deployed now, firing volleys of cannons at whatever lie straight ahead of them. Perhaps their destruction could play to their advantage. _"…Altaria, descend!"_

'Got it!' Altaria swooped down, tucking back her wings for maximum velocity. She flew in a circle, swooping behind the line of tanks leveling Main Street. The Rayquaza was close behind, salivating for the kill. When they were about three stories over the tanks, Altaria leveled out and shot straight ahead. The EVA Units below quickly spotted them and fired, not noticing the black serpentine shape that trailed behind. Rayquaza was going too fast to jerk upwards and avoid the friendly fire, and was struck by nearly every shot. Shinji and Asuka looked back as a cloud of smoke erupted from the dragon's location, before they made a sharp turn behind a tall building.

"Did… Did that do it?" Shinji said, unsure of his words.

Lucario closed his eyes to detect the beat's aura. **'…No. It is still alive, but… **_**It's retreating.'**_

'**Why the hell would it do that?'** Combusken said, scratching his head, **'It knows it can kill us… unfortunately.'**

'**I don't kn- **_**Wait.**_** What is-?'**

Altaria shot its feet out in front of her, slowing herself down as a large hand reached out to grab her. As its large fingers started to envelop around her, she fired a Dragon Pulse into its palm. Flying back, her passengers could see the new threat in its entirety.

"Regigigas…!" Rei was in total shock; a rare feeling. The sight of this giant was quite unexpected and daunting; it may not be as fast as the Rayquaza was, but it was definitely more massive and durable. Tank fire definitely wouldn't hold it at bay. Suddenly, the Regigigas' other hand came up from below, grabbing hold of Altaria in a devastating crush grip. The dragon cried in agony under its mighty strength. Thinking fast, Shinji yelled the first thing that came to mind.

"_Jump!"_

There was no other choice. The children and their Pokemon leapt off Altaria, watching as the ground grew closer before Gardevoir projected a psychic barrier to catch them in midair. The moment she landed on the barrier, Rei hurriedly returned Altaria to her Pokeball before the life was crushed from her body.

"We have visitors, it seems." Standing before his fleet of tanks, Zeruel gave the order to halt. He calmly walked ahead of his troops towards his Regigigas and the children descending slowly to the ground. Though his orders were to stand back and observe over the ground assault, eliminating these unfortunate children would take away some of the boredom from his so-far dull mission.

Defying Bardiel, however, would be the greatest gift of all.

* * *

Back in the skyscraper, Zoroark and Greninja made their move. The frog immediately formed into a shadow, slinking high-speed across the wall like a snake looking for an opening to strike at. Zoroark took a more direct approach, shooting a Flamethrower at Metagross. The iron quadruped threw up a Light Screen to weaken the flames, yet was wide open to Greninja's rapid storm of Water Shuriken focused on his right back leg. Metagross quickly keeled back on its wounded limb, as his master looked on with disdain. Though the situation was growing worse, this was the best time they had for an escape.

"_Run, Ikari!"_ Fuyutsuki shouted, shielding his face from a blast of smoke, "I will hold them off for as long as I can! You _must_ return to headquarters!"

Gendo knew what this meant. "…Indeed. It was an honor serving with you, Kozo."

The older man gave him an unconvincing chuckle. "Metagross and I have been through more difficult trials than this. There is no need for goodbyes."

No more words were exchanged. In the cover of smoke Gendo made his run out the door, drawing his gun to fire at the three Bisharp still standing over the corpse of double agent Turel. Hearing the door to the stairs slam shut, Fuyutsuki smiled in relief. "Godspeed, old friend."

"We'll still catch him. You know that, don't you?" Throwing away the rubble of the wall around him, Bardiel stood and cracked his neck. Nodding to Kaworu, the boy called back his Zoroark and whispered in its ear. The Dark type hissed before leaping into the hall in pursuit of Gendo; the three Bisharp rushed into the room to take its place in battle. Kaworu followed after them with a brisk walk. Fuyutsuki eyed his opponents with dread. This was an impossible victory, but he had to at least try to incapacitate the leader of Seele before falling.

"All that I know is there are six of you ganging up on a tired old man and his Pokemon… Still, you will not find this an easy victory." Pulling up his sleeve, Fuyutsuki revealed a silver bracelet embedded with a rainbow jewel. A black spiral, like that of a DNA strand, began to shine inside, reacting to the stone wrapped around one of Metagross' legs. "One last time, Metagross… _Mega Evolve!"_

The shimmering rainbow energy rushed around Metagross, kicking up the debris scattered across the room as it morphed the Pokemon into a new form that gave it access to the peak of its inner power. A breaking burst of sound announced the end of the transformation as Metagross emerged, floating with its four limbs projected in front of it like arms. The X on its face had turned from silver to gold, and four smaller arms hung from its back. Kozo stood tall behind his partner, the old man feeling like he was still in his prime. "Now fight us, Seele! Let us see how you fare against our decades old bond!"

"Save your theatrics, old man!" Bardiel heated his blades to the max as he charged at Kozo and Metagross alongside Greninja and the Bisharp. Metagross used his four arms to the best of his strength to fight off the four adversaries, knocking them away and smashing them into the floor. It was impossible to incapacitate all of them; when one went down, the others would strike right away. Bardiel's blades were the biggest threat. One cut from those would sever and melt away the iron from any of Metagross' limbs: an injury not even a Pokemon Center could heal.

Fuyutsuki watched from the sidelines, knowing that defeat would come at any moment, unless he tried something drastic. Opportunity arose when, after knocking away Greninja and the Bisharp, Metagross managed to imprison Bardiel with his four back legs, keeping the Angel's blade arms tight to his side. With him immobilized, Kozo could turn the tide in NERV's favor. However, it would come at a price.

"_The floor!"_ Fuyutsuki shouted with all his might, "Slam him through the floor! All the way to the bottom!" Metagross looked at his trainer. The Steel Pokemon knew the ramifications of such an action. His master would never command him to do something like that unless… The old man's smile was quivering now. "That is… your final order, old friend."

A low grunt from Metagross showed his understanding. As the iron Pokemon flipped and aimed the entrapped Bardiel towards the floor, the Angel began to thrash about, trying to break free. Being crushed through one or two floors was survivable, but 20 stories was a different question. _"You fool!"_ Bardiel snarled, _"You're mad!_ How could you give away you and your Pokemon's life for Ikari's cause?!"

"Would you not die for yours Bardiel?! Or is death the only thing you fear?! Now Metagross! _Finish him!"_

The smash happened in the blink of an eye. The moment Bardiel's body made contact, the entire floor of the room was hit with a shockwave that blew it upwards. Only Greninja managed to escape the crumbling room, Shadow Sneaking his way out the window and onto the balcony. The frog leapt from the railing to a nearby building, watching his master descend through the skyscraper's windows. As Fuyutsuki felt the floor beneath him give way, he looked Metagross in the eye one last time as the Pokemon descended down at top speed through the twenty-so stories. Overcome by weightlessness, the Vice-Commander stayed calm as the air whistled in his ears. Memories flashed through his mind, of all those years training Metagross, from running the Secret Police, to that fateful day he met Gendo… that led to this. Kozo looked up at the falling debris, hurtling down and towards him. The floor drew closer as well, concealed by a cloud of dust created by his closest comrade. His opponents lie down there as well. And he was about to join them.

"A splendid finish… Don't you think, old friend?"

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_A Titan Looms Overhead!_

_The Children VS Zeruel!_


	24. Stage 24: I've Failed You

There were few worse situations that the children could find themselves in than this one. The Angel who was in control of Regigigas was approaching them slowly, his massive body size reminding Shinji of Sachiel. This one was different, though. He gave an air of total remorselessness: a cold and calculating tactician. Unlike the Angel that attacked their hometown, Shinji had a feeling this one wouldn't hesitate to take their lives.

"We gotta go…" Shinji said, scrambling to his feet, "We gotta go now! This is a freaking war zone! He's gonna kill us!"

Asuka didn't move: why should she? Where would she even run to?! They were in a burning city, surrounded by drones and Angels with their vicious Pokemon, two being powerful Legendries! There were only two options now: fight, or die.

"We're not running, Shinji."

"Asuka-

"_No!_ _I'm…_ I'm not afraid of these bastards! We took on those other guys last night! This guy shouldn't be any tougher if work together!"

She knew she was lying to herself. But Asuka was adamant to never let that truth slip out in front of him. With Combusken standing beside her, she tightened her fists and stared down Zeruel. It felt so similar to that first time with Sachiel, but now Asuka and Combusken were stronger. They _could_ fight back. And they _had_ to win this time, no matter how powerful their opponent's Pokemon was. This was a life or death situation, with the odds not in their favor.

'**That girl is mad,'** Lucario chuckled, shaking his head, **'You truly have a penchant for making unique friends, Shinji. Shall we fight with them?'**

A hand rested on Shinji's shoulder. He turned to see Ayanami and Gardevoir standing beside him, ready to make their stand. Swallowing his fear, Shinji straightened his stance. It wasn't like he could refuse to help Asuka out here. He had to be strong, for all their sakes.

"Yeah, Lucario. To the end."

Zeruel was unimpressed by the children standing before him. What was this? Some sort of heroic last stand? These brats may have been the couriers of the artifact, but they surely were not his equal opponents. It was time to make an example out of them. He tossed his other Pokéball, from which his towering Golurk emerged. The automaton landed with a thud, standing motionless like a pillar. It looked down at its master, awaiting orders.

"This guy's got a thing for big Pokemon," Asuka remarked. Though the Golurk was by no means as large as the Regigigas, it still stood at least three times Asuka's height; even its master who was large for a man had to look up at it. It was a Ghost-Ground type as well, meaning it was a perfect counter to both Combusken and Lucario. Gardevoir was also weak to it as well, but could most likely fare better due to her higher level. "Hey, Wonder Girl. Take on that Golurk. Me and Shinji can handle the Regigigas; Combusken and Lucario have the type advantage on it. "

Rei could sense the fear and anger in Soryu, though she was hiding it well with her calm demeanor. The redhead was still bitter towards her, and she was going to unleash her rage on Seele. Rei had nothing to object about not receiving her anger directly, though she still did not want to see either her or Shinji become hurt battling the giant. No matter if they could defeat these two Pokemon, there was still the squad of EVA drones standing behind the Angel, all armed with guns and blades. Any scenario of them escaping with their lives was improbable, if not impossible.

But Rei felt something inside of her. A rush of adrenaline, telling her to not hold back, telling her that maybe, just maybe, they could defy the odds. She looked to Gardevoir, and the Pokemon understood. They would give it their all. They would stand as one, and fall as one.

"I will fight with you," Rei said to Asuka, "If we survive… There will be no more secrets."

Asuka gave her a half smile, lacking of any confidence. "Of course we'll survive," she said, her voice cracking. She cleared her throat and looked down to her feet. "Of course we will."

They were chatting for too long: it was time. Zeruel folded his arms, and gave Regigigas and Golurk the command to attack. As the giants approached their targets, he pulled out his communicator, a single red light blinking. A distress signal from Bardiel's location. Something had happened to the Angel, and Zeruel couldn't give any more of a damn for his condition. Perhaps he was dead. That would make this day even better.

"_Psychic, Gardevoir!"_

Zeruel was too distracted to notice Ayanami's sudden command to her Pokemon, and his head was instantly filled with an overwhelming pain from Gardevoir's mental assault. The Fairy-Psychic type quickly threw up a barrier as Zeruel's Golurk pulled in its legs, hovering in the air like a rocket-boosted mech. It clenched its fists and made a beeline towards the barrier, throwing a Shadow Punch into its center and shattering it. Gardevoir teleported herself and Rei out of range from its other fist.

"Keep it away from Ikari and Soryu," Rei murmured, "They must focus on their own fight."

'**Yes, my lady.'**

"Good work, Wonder Girl!" Asuka yelled to Rei before turning to Shinji, "Let's do this!

"Right! Lucario!" At Shinji's call, Lucario formed his bone staff, taking a defensive stance with palm outstretched. Regigigas raised its massive arm, casting a shadow over the hound. But the giant had no chance of catching him under his fist. Lucario bolted and leapt high into the air, landing on the purple cuff around the golem's wrist. Regigigas' six eyes focused immediately on him, and a red ball of energy began forming in their center.

'_**No!' **_Predicting the Hyper Beam, Lucario jumped from the giant's wrist to the top of its head. Feeling the hound footsteps, Regigigas took a heavy step back, shaking around to try and knock the Fighting-type off balance. Combusken saw his opportunity to strike with the giant distracted. Igniting his body, he slammed himself into Regigigas' right leg. The giant took no notice of it, and continued focusing on Lucario.

'**Well, that didn't work…'** Combusken muttered with a hint of worry. Asuka shared that feeling. Thinking quickly, the girl's focus was drawn to its eyes.

"The eyes! Go for its eyes, Combusken!"

'**Oh, that's smart,'** Combusken laughed sarcastically, **'Jump right where it can see me. Like that won't get me killed.'** Still, he obeyed and latched onto one of Regigigas' arm as it swung by. He dug his claws into its white hide, which was quite harder than it appeared; the constant motion made it even harder to keep his grip. Combusken cast himself in flames again, climbing up the giant's bicep until he reached its bushy green eyebrows. He greeted Lucario with a small wave. **'Havin' fun, man?'**

'**Now is not the time for that!'** Lucario snapped back as he slammed his bone staff into the top of Regigigas' head. Still, the giant was unfazed. Shinji and Asuka had realized that their Pokemon were doing no damage to the Legendary; they were more like flies to Regigigas than actual threats.

"This isn't good…" Shinji's eyes expressed his fear more than words could. He was slowly walking backwards, ready to call for Lucario and get out of there. Seeing his subtle retreat, Asuka snatched him by the arm and held it tight.

"What did I tell you?! We're _not _cowards, Shinji! We're _not_ running! We're fighting-

"That _isn't_ fighting Asuka!" Shinji pointed to their Pokemon and the giant, "That isn't even _struggling!_ We can't do a thing here!"

"_Shut up!"_ Asuka yelled in his face, slapping his hand away, "I won't run! _I won't!"_

"_Get real Asuka! We're not heroes! We're just kids! Kids in a freaking warzone!"_

"_I said shut up!"_ The girl slammed a fist into his chest, her head lowering as she continued pounding into his chest. _"Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up! I'm! I'm not… a…kid…"_ Asuka's knees buckled in, her strikes so soft that Shinji couldn't even feel them. Her mind told her she couldn't run from this, not now when their lives were on the line.

Not when Mama was watching.

Asuka slumped down more, forcing Shinji to hoist her up by her armpits. Her hands loosened their grip on his shirt as her head became cloudy. She disgusted herself, her weakness and fear betraying her personal pride. She had broken down utterly before Shinji, the one she needed to be strong for.

She was a failure.

"Asuka?! _Asuka!"_ Shinji shook the unresponsive redhead, the girl limp in his arms. Panicking, he carried her towards an alleyway, trying his best to avoid being seen by the enemy. Combusken noticed Shinji with his limp trainer, and he quickly caught Lucario's attention.

'_**Lucario!'**_

'**I know!'** the hound replied immediately, _**'Fall back!'**_

"Soryu…" Rei had been observing her friends' situation, and was very much concerned for their safety. Her heart sank when she saw Asuka slip into unconsciousness, the fear of battle overcoming the redhead. Still, as much as she wanted to run over and check on them, her and Gardevoir had to deal with their own opponent first.

Tired of hovering in the air, Golurk extended its legs out and landed on the ground with a thud. Focusing on its targets with an unchanging gaze, the automaton brought one of its feet down in a heavy stomp, shaking the earth around it. The fractured street gave the Golurk plenty of stone fragments to grab and toss at Gardevoir, which it immediately began to do. The Fairy's barriers were struggling to hold up under the heavy pressure; it was time to switch to the offensive.

"Gardevoir, use Psychic!"

Golurk dropped the broken car in his grasp as he was overcome by the same psychic power that his trainer had felt. The Ground-Ghost type dropped to one knee as the Psychic attack grew even stronger, and then…

It vanished completely.

Rei blinked twice, making sure she wasn't hallucinating. It was just there, crippled and ready to fall! Where could it have gone? How-

"Oh no…"

Gardevoir was quick to her trainer's worry. **'My lady?'**

And then it appeared, towering right behind Gardevoir. Having used its Phantom Force attack to bypass around the barrier, Golurk instantly struck Gardevoir with an iron fist infused with spectral energy, slamming her through a nearby window display.

"Gardevoir!" Rei cried out, running towards her fallen Pokemon. Her path was blocked, however, when the Golurk placed its giant body between her and the shattered window. The giant raised its fist, ready to smash it down on Rei, when the Pokeball around the girl's waist suddenly burst open.

"_Altaria…!"_ Rei's gasped, her crimson eyes widening as her wounded dragon flew up in front of the fist and let it strike her with full power. She couldn't believe it; Altaria had taken the blow for her! Rei ran between the automaton's legs, glancing back at her cloud dragon lying limp on the broken street. And it was then she realized that Altaria wasn't planning on getting back up. The dragon smiled at her, letting out a weak hum as the Golurk's raised its heavy fist again.

'_**It's okay, Rei… Take care of yourself, alright?'**_

Something warm trickled down Rei's cheek.

"Al-Altaria?"

_***WHAM!***_

A crunching sound could be heard as Golurk's fist came down. Rei stood, frozen, trying to comprehend what she had just seen. She opened her mouth, and felt her throat tightening.

"…_Altaria?"_

She felt her knees hit the pavement, her skin cutting itself on glass. Rei felt nothing. Everything was numb. Her blood prickled beneath her skin. So this is what Asuka had felt.

This was fear.

The Golurk continued striking, making sure its target was never going to move again. Rei could not look away, some part of her mind hoping that Altaria would awaken and hit back with a Dragon Pulse.

"_Stop…"_ she choked, extending her limp hand.

_***WHAM!***_

"_Please, stop…!"_ She was sobbing now, begging it for mercy.

_***WHAM!***_

"_STOP!"_

'_**GET BACK!'**_

A force pulled Rei backwards, her body landing in the arms of a weak Gardevoir. The Pokemon's eyes were glowing with malevolent fury, her wrath focused on the murderous Golurk. The giant seemed to notice, and turned around.

'_**You will pay for killing my friend!'**_ Gardevoir screamed as a black energy erupted right in front of the Golurk's chest. The swirling black blob quickly erupted into a swirling vortex, whipping up a powerful wind stream that began pulling objects into its center.

From behind his squadron of EVA drones, Zeruel was alarmed by the anomaly. He knew what this was: a black hole. He knew that Gardevoir had the potential to create them when at full power, yet had never seen one himself. Not that he ever wanted to. He had made a mistake in not telling Golurk to hold back. Now, it would cost the Pokemon its life.

"_Dammit…!"_ Zeruel cursed, running from the scene of battle as his EVA drones followed close behind.

Still unaware of the danger before him, the Golurk stared at the anomaly, reaching out with his hand to grab it. It would prove to be his final mistake. The black hole instantly grabbed hold of his arm, and with only a moment of struggle, the Golurk was pulled into the void. Before disappearing into it completely, the automaton reached out and desperately tried to grab onto something to pull himself out. All his hand could grasp was Altaria's limp form before vanishing from sight, taking the fallen Pokemon with him.

Gardevoir closed her eyes, wiping her tears away as she pulled Rei close. The girl was shaking, clutching her only Pokemon tightly. **'I'm going to teleport us away from here, my lady… The hole will close up once we depart. **_**We…**_** We will be okay, my lady. **_**I love you. **_**Please know that.'**

And the hole vanished.

* * *

Leaning Asuka against a dumpster, Shinji cautiously peered out of the alleyway into the streets. The coast clear for the time being, he ducked back in and scooted down beside Asuka. Lucario stood across from him, with Combusken kneeling by the girl and holding her hand in his claws.

"We should be safe here," Shinji sighed, "I think they retreated. Maybe Rei fought them off or something."

'**I would like to think so,'** Lucario answered, shuffling his feet uncomfortably, **'I have been feeling their aura this whole time… But what I feel is most unsettling.'**

"What do you mean by-

Suddenly, a burst of light appeared between Shinji and Lucario. Shielding their eyes, they were soon greeted by Gardevoir holding a frightened Rei close. As the bright light faded, Gardevoir collapsed to her knees, weak and afraid.

"Oh God!" Shinji shouted, taking Rei in his arms, "Rei! _Rei! Wake up!"_

The Psychic-Fairy type covered her face with her hands, hiding her tears. **'I… I am sorry, Ikari. We could not defeat them. Rei was in danger, and I couldn't help her, and… **_**Altaria…**__**They…'**_

She didn't even have to finish. Shinji's heart sunk in his chest upon realizing, and he looked down at Rei. "…You don't have to apologize, Gardevoir_._ And I'm sorry for Altaria. She was a good friend."

'_**They're monsters!' **_Combusken slammed a fist into the wall, leaving a fiery crack in it. _**'All of them! They just think that our lives have no meaning!'**_

'_**Calm down, Combusken!'**_Lucario ordered, **'This is no time for anger. We must stay calm, and plan out our next move.'**

Shinji nodded, leaning Rei beside Asuka. In doing so, he noticed the communicator hanging off Ayanami's waist. "Gardevoir. Could I use this to contact Mistao?"

'**I… I believe so. It was not working earlier, but that may have been due to the Seele airships jamming signals up in the air.'**

He fiddled with the device, cautiously pressing buttons hoping not to break it. Pressing a red button on its side brought up a list of contacts. Misato was first, then Kaji, HQ… his father. Shinji hesitated upon seeing his name, still conflicted. If he couldn't contact Misato or Kaji, then he would have no choice but to go to him for help. Shinji tapped Misato's name and held the device close to his ear; there was a faint beeping on the line garbled with static.

"Hello? Is someone there?" he said into the speaker, "Hello?"

"_kzzt- Rei? Is that -kzzt- you?"_

"Misato!" Shinji felt a rush of relief come over him, "Misato, it's me Shinji!"

"_Shinji! Thank –kzzt- God you're alright! You are alright, aren't you?"_

"I am, but Rei and Asuka are out cold. We need to get out of this city!"

"_-kzzt- Where are you kids? We'll pick you up!"_

"Um…" Shinji ran down the alleyway, peeking out at the street sign that was miraculously still standing, though heavily scorched. "In the alley at where Main Street and 7th Street meet. There's a Regigigas around somewhere though, so watch out!"

"_Oh, I know about that thing. And we're not too far –kzzt-there! We're in a black pickup truck! Don't leave that alleyway!"_

"Okay. Please, hurry."

The call ended with a high-pitched beep. Tucking the device into his pocket, Shinji turned to go back into the alley when he heard a voice call out his name. A very familiar voice.

"…_Father?"_

He quickly looked back out and saw the shape of his father running to him from the other end of the alleyway. His jacket was torn and his orange shades were cracked, but otherwise looked fine. Upon reaching his son he bent over with his hands on his knees, panting heavily. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he put one hand on Shinji's shoulder. "I am glad to see you are alive."

The sudden concern surprised Shinji, but he didn't mind it at all. "I… I'm happy that you're okay too, Father. How did you get out-

"I have my ways, Shinji. Are you and your friends alright? Do you still have the Artifact?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah," Shinji slipped his backpack off his shoulders, unzipping the satchel to show Gendo the precious cargo. "It's right in there, still in its container."

"May I see it?"

As Gendo reached into the bag, Lucario's eyes began to glow intensely. There was danger nearby, but where was it? The dark aura was coming from near Shinji, but nothing was there…

Except his father.

'_**Shinji! Get away from him!'**_

The boy looked at the hound, confused. "What are you talking about?"

'_**That's not your father!'**_

With the Artifact in his hands, Gendo's smile turned into a toothy grin. His body turned to black as Shinji watched its body returned to its normal form. Ikari staggered back as Zoroark leaned in close to him, his mouth curled back into a satisfied snarl.

'**Thank you for this… **_**my **__**son.'**_

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Deceived By An Illusion!_

_The Siege of Hoatzin City Comes to an End!_


	25. Stage 25: Reunited

It was almost over now. The sound of gunfire was dying down as the last stragglers in the city were being snuffed out of hiding. It had taken not even an hour for Seele to claim victory. EVA Units patrolled with loaded weapons, ensuring that the bodies littering the streets were all devoid of life. Their airships had surrounded the city's perimeter; any outside aircraft would be knocked right out of the sky the moment they would draw near.

Hoatzin City had fallen.

It was only the first demonstration of Seele's power. There would be more strikes across the globe after the Alpha Hour; Lumiose City, Viridian City, Castellia City... the list was endless. Seele would stand at the top.

But Greninja knew, without their leader, his master, in good health, they could not.

The field of rubble stood at least ten times Greninja's height, though its daunting size mattered not to the Water type. It knew that his master was buried within somewhere, and though he had not the physical strength to dig for him, there was another who could. That was why he sat upon the top of the pile, watching the sky as EVA drones dug away below him in search of their commander. Greninja was in a meditative state, using Extrasensory to detect his master's presence below him. It was faint, but there.

A roar in the sky disrupted his calm state, and Greninja looked up high to see Rayquaza descending towards his position. The black dragon circled around the mountain of debris, stopping at the peak by his fellow Pokemon.

'**Master is in there,'** Greninja told the dragon, **'Still alive, yet he is hurt.'**

Rayquaza looked into the rubble, then back to the frog. **'Was he victorious in battle?'**

'**I sense no other signs of life down there besides his own.'**

'…**Then I shall retrieve him.'**

Ascending, Rayquaza waited for Greninja to leap off the rubble's peak before looping back down at high speed. Flying horizontally towards the ruined skyscraper, he accelerated at high speeds until he was a black blur, his yellow markings growing brightly as he slammed into the debris. Chunks of stone and glass flew into the air, raining down onto the surrounding streets and crushing some EVA units who were unable to dodge the incoming fragments. Moving stealthily and quickly, Greninja jumped through the wreckage until he saw the familiar blade of his master poking out from between a couch and a stone slab. Enveloping his hands in water, he grabbed the still-heated blade and pulled, grabbing Bardiel's limp body as Rayquaza obliterated the stones falling down at them with a Hyper Beam. Carrying him out onto the street, Greninja laid him down gently as EVA units approached from all side. The frog glared at them, telling them to stay back. He studied the wheezing Bardiel, noting that his chest piece had been crushed in; aside from that, no other organs seemed to have been damaged. His master was mostly cybernetic anyways; all that was left of his old human body was his lungs and brain. The rest was just as artificial as an EVA drone. In other words, easy for Iruel to repair. Rayquaza now hovered nearby, studying their master just as intently.

'**Here,'** Greninja hoisted Bardiel up, so Rayquaza could grasp him in his three-fingered hand, **'We shall take him to the command ship. Master is no longer fit for battle. Iruel will fix him once we return home.'**

'**Then the large one shall take command of battle?'** Rayquaza was referring to Zeruel, of course. **'I will not follow any command from him. He is not worthy to order me.'**

The frog shook his head, leaping onto the dragon's back. **'He will not command us. Zeruel has been given orders from Master. If he does not follow them, he knows what punishment we will bring upon him.'**

* * *

"Make a left."

Misato leaned out the window with pistol in hand, scanning the streets for any EVA drones that may still be patrolling the area. Having to backtrack was working out for them; on the initial drive through the area, she had managed to shoot down all the drones they encountered with the help of Kaji and Pen-Pen's Hydro Pump. It still surprised her that the children had been right where they were when they escaped that Regigigas earlier. They must have come back for something… But what?

The two boys in the backseat had stopped mumbling to each other. Misato had learned they were friends of Shinji and Asuka the moment after she had ended the call with Ikari; they were probably fearing the worst for their friends right now.

"Don't you two worry, okay?" she said with a small smile, trying to comfort them, "I bet they're fine. We'll get them and be out of here in no time."

Toji and Kensuke answered with a small, half-hearted nod. Misato's fake smile faded when she turned around, and caught Kaji's attention.

"Not sure if we should give them any false hope," the man said quietly, his eyes focused on the road, "We know what Seele does."

"I know. It just felt like something I should say right now."

"So you don't believe a word of it?"

"Do you?"

"What do you think?"

"...I want to, too. I told it to myself long before I told them. Those kids don't deserve this. Nobody does."

"Preach it," Kaji agreed with a nod, "We're almost there. Get ready to open the doors. I'm hitting the gas as soon as those kids are safe."

The distance from the truck to the alley was shrinking fast. Misato gripped the door handle tight, ready to swing it open once the children were in sight. She could hear sounds from all directions, all of them giving her a sinking feeling. If something had happened to those kids on their way to them…

No.

She opened her eyes, staring at the door handle. There was no time for worrying. She had to focus.

"_Oh shit…!"_

Kaji's cursing made Misato's heart jump. Her face darted forward as the boys in the back seat crawled up between the seats to see clearer. There was a confrontation on the road ahead. A Zoroark had leapt out of the alley holding something close to its chest, as a familiar Lucario and Combusken appeared after it. The Dark type spewed out a burst of fire from its jaws at the two Fighting types when a squad of EVA units emerged from the alley as well, with a captive Shinji and Gardevoir at gunpoint. One unit was holding Asuka and Ayanami under its arms, both girls unconscious. Misato slammed her fist against the door window and broke it as she drew her gun.

"_Shinji!"_

A bullet passed over the captive boy's head as it struck one of his captors through its head. Stunned at first, Ikari was soon filled with relief upon seeing his saviors in an accelerating truck.

"_Misato!"_ Shinji began to run, ducking away from an EVA unit grabbing for him. Seeing an opportunity, Gardevoir emitted a psychic wave to knock the drones away and crush them down into the pavement. The Pokemon levitated Asuka and Rei's bodies in place after they fell from their captor's grasp, forming a protective sphere around them.

'**The girls are safe,'** Gardevoir said, following Shinji, **'Make haste to the vehicle!'**

The truck skidded to a halt, Misato quickly exiting and taking fire at the Zoroark. She knew _exactly_ what it was holding. "Kaji! It has the Artifact!"

"That's what I figured," the man groaned, drawing his own gun. Before he could roll down his window to fire, he spotted a large figure looming at the end of the street. At its feet walked Zeruel and a dozen or so EVA units at his side. "Misato, the Regigigas is back!"

"_Dammit!"_ Katsuragi gritted her teeth in a snarl. The Zoroark was too quick for her bullets; any missed shot had the chance of striking Lucario and Combusken, or possibly the Artifact. Either way, Seele had the upper hand. Cursing to herself again, Misato fired one more shot before dashing back into the truck. Once in, she reached around the back seat and gave Shinji a quick hug. "Thank God you're all alright!"

Shinji smiled weakly, "…I screwed up, Misato... Kaworu's Zoroark made itself look like my father and-

"Don't beat yourself up," she answered, putting a hand on his head, "We won't let Seele win. We'll get it back. I promise."

Outside, Lucario saw that Shinji was inside the vehicle. Dodging Zoroark's flames, he grabbed Combusken by the shoulder. **'We must go! **_**Now!'**_

'**Sounds good to me!'** Landing a kick on the Dark-type, Combusken followed the hound towards the truck, leaping onto the back bed instead of climbing inside. Zoroark landed on his feet by Zeruel as the vehicle sped off. The Illusion Pokemon handed the Artifact to the Angel, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth.

'**Tell my master I will be a bit late,'** Zoroark said, sprinting after the truck on all fours. Zeruel studied the precious case, smiling behind his mask.

"_Finally..._ Regigigas, lead us back to the Command Post. The mission is complete."

* * *

Awakening to the sound of screeching tires, Asuka opened her eyes to see Kensuke Aida staring down at her. It took the boy a few moments to realize she had regained consciousness.

"Uh, hi…" Kensuke laughed nervously, giving her a small wave, "Didn't think you'd wake up so soon."

"Get off me!" Shoving Aida away, Askua lifted herself up and into Toji's side, knocking his head into the window.

"Hey! What's da big idea Soryu?! Don't just wake up an' start hurtin' everbody!"

"Asuka!" Shinji scrambled into the back of the truck, squeezing into the space between Asuka and Kensuke, "You had me scared to death back there!"

"Don't worry so much about me, Baka Shinji… I can take care of myself."

"Dat's not what it looked like ta me-

"_Shut it, Suzuhara!"_ As she went to slap Toji across the face, she heard a knocking from behind her. She turned to see Combusken with his face pressed to the glass, waving at her. "What's _he_ doing out _there?!"_

'**Well, it is quite crowded back here…'** Gardevoir replied, the unconscious Ayanami resting on her lap. Seated on the floor in front of her, Lucario nodded in agreement: he looked less than comfortable.

"But… Isn't it dangerous out there?" Asuka said with a hint of worry, staring at her Pokemon. The chicken noticed her expression, and gave her a thumbs up (or claw-up, in his case). With his back turned, he couldn't see the black shape speeding towards the vehicle.

Lucario and Gardevoir sensed the danger first. Before both could alert Combusken, Zoroark leapt onto the bed of the truck, pinning him down with his claws.

'**Heh heh…'** The Dark type licked his teeth as his eyes began to glow, **'Guess I'll take you out first!' **

Zoroark gripped Combusken by the neck as he struck him with his Extrasensory attack, prodding into the corners of the bird's mind. The Fire-Fighting type wriggled in pain, trying to break free.

"_Combusken!"_ Pounding her fist on the glass, Asuka watched as her Pokemon was slowly being driven to defeat. _"Get up! You gotta get up!"_

Gardevoir also looked on in worry. Though he was quite rash and immature, she couldn't help but pity the Fighting type that did his best to impress her. She wanted to assist him, but the battles before this had finally taken their toll on her: she was too exhausted to let out even the weakest of attacks. It was to hard to watch. She couldn't bear losing another friend before her eyes today. _**'Combusken…'**_

"_Lucario!"_ Shinji turned to his Pokemon, only to see he was having trouble getting out from his position. _"A-Are you stuck?!"_

Embarrassed, Lucario began desperately tugging at his tail. _**'I'm afraid so! And at a time like this, no less!'**_

Kaji and Misato were not oblivious to what was happening. The latter had grabbed hold of the wheel and jerked the car from left to right, much to the man's dismay. "I know what you're trying to do, but I can take care of it!"

"Then drive crazier! Get that thing off our ass!"

Zoroark dug his claws deeper into the truck. It would take more than some reckless driving to get him to fall. Grinning, he continued prodding Combusken's mind. **'You've got some interesting stuff in here, pal… That trainer of yours means a lot to you, though I could've guessed that. You can't help but do your best for her, yet look at yourself now. You're **_**failing**_** her. Not just her, though. There's another… Ah, well isn't **_**that **_**cute? You've got a little crush on that **_**Gardevoir!**_** Well, I think I'll let you know I'll rip her to shreds **_**last!**_** I'll let her watch as I take apart **_**all**_** your friends in there!'**

'_**NO!'**_

Combusken clenched his fists, flames forming around them and burning Zoroark's wrists. Mustering all of his strength he began to push himself up off the truck bed, much to the Dark type's surprise. His body began glowing, growing larger and stronger than before. Once the glowing stopped, he was a whole new Pokemon. His legs were much longer now and accented with a bright yellow, and the fan-like feathers on his head now protruded back in two large tufts. A V-shaped crest had formed on his face, and his beak was now hooked and red. His eyes glared into Zoroark's as he broke free completely.

'_**Impossible-!'**_ Zoroark tried to continue his Extrasensory attack, but his concentration was interrupted as his opponent's clawed hand grasped him by the neck.

Everyone in the truck looked on in amazement at his evolution. Through sheer will he had powered through the super-effective attack to stand and fight!

"I don't believe it…" Shinji looked to Asuka for a response. The girl stared at her Pokemon, a look of wonder in her eyes. She smiled with excitment, placing an open palm on the back window.

"Kick his ass… _Blaziken!"_

'_**ACK!'**_ Zoroark choked and flailed under Blaziken's grip, reaching for his throat to no avail. The Fire-Fighting type smirked in the Illusion Pokemon's face.

'**You ain't that tough at all, aren't ya?'** Blaziken said, **'Relying on sneak attacks is all you can do, isn't it? You're nothing but a **_**coward!'**_

Letting go of Zoroark, Blaziken ignited his legs. As the Dark type started to fall away from the moving vehicle, the bird spun and planted his Blaze Kick into the center of Zoroark's chest. The illusionist's body flew back quickly, hitting the road hard and skipping down it like a rock on a lake's surface. It was easy to say that Zoroark wouldn't be getting back up anytime soon.

'_**Heh,'**_ Blaziken folded his arms, watching his opponent tumble away, **'Now **_**that's **_**how it's done.'** He looked back into the truck, nodding at Asuka with a smile. Seeing Gardevoir as well he couldn't help but show off, posing heroically and flexing his arms. The Psychic type just closed her eyes and giggled at his behavior. Suddenly, she felt a rustling on her lap.

'_**My lady!'**_ Propping her upright slowly with Aida's help, the blue haired girl clutched her head tenderly. 'Easy now… Do not force yourself.'

"…I am okay,' Rei answered quietly, looking at her surroundings. Ikari, Asuka, Kaji, Misato, two strangers, all staring at her… Had they all been worried about her?

"Rei," Shinji smiled weakly at her, "We're safe now. They aren't after us anymore."

The girl paused, staring at him. Why would Seele stop-

Realization hit, and Rei looked down at the floor.

They had the Artifact.

She had failed the Commander.

"…I see. Then you are wrong."

"What do you mean, Rei?"

"We are not safe. Now nobody is safe."

* * *

**Next Stage:**

_Aftermath!_

_The World Reacts to the Wreckage!_


	26. Stage 26: Shot Heard 'Round The World

**Its been a while since I've commented up here, but with some new followers to the story it feels like a good time to speak up.**

**Thanks for reading and supporting this story! I'm glad that you enjoy what I've been writing for a little over a year now, and I hope you enjoy what I have in store for you.**

**Reviews are always appreciated too! If you've got the time to do so, then I would love to read what you think of any part of the story.**

* * *

It was another one of those quiet late nights. Yui poured her cup of coffee to the brim, taking her time as she walked into the living room. She flipped on the television and began to surf through the channels. There was never anything on she particularly enjoyed; it was more finding some background noise to listen to as she read one of her books. This time it was Memoirs of the Enlightened by Natural Harmonia Gropius: N, for short. The former puppet leader of Team Plasma in Unova, he had grown into quite the young man since the conflict in that region. Yui had met him while Kyoko was still alive, and he had given her this book personally. This was her third time reading through it. Having been deceived by the man known as Ghetsis for so long, he had befriended one of the mythical dragons of Unova (which one he refused to specify) and went into a two-year exile alongside it, travelling from region to region in search of what he considered "the Truth". After Team Plasma's short-lived rebirth he stayed in Unova to teach his knowledge, becoming a wandering philosopher of sorts.

"If only he still had that dragon," Yui sighed to herself; she had always wanted to see a Legendary Pokemon in person. Sipping her coffee, she continued to flip channels as Stoutland sat himself down beside her recliner. The dog Pokemon had been quite reserved lately, just like her. Shinji not being around made life quite dull anymore. Days blended into each other. Yes, it had only been about a week, but to a mother it felt like a decade. She worried about him at times, but knew that he and Asuka would be just fine with their Pokemon.

A knock at the door.

"Come in!"

A cold breeze followed Ritsuko as she walked inside. Taking off her lab coat, she seated herself in the wicker chair beside Yui and yawned loudly.

"Tough day?"

The professor nodded slowly. "Liepard got into the file cabinets while I was in the shower. Probably because I didn't give him a slice of that chocolate mousse cake I had in the fridge. Spent the rest of the afternoon organizing and re-printing. Luckily nothing too important got torn up."

"Now you know why I have a dog Pokemon," Yui chuckled, "There's a bottle of wine in the fridge."

"Not today, Yui. My head is pounding enough."

The sound of a breaking news report caught Yui's attention; not because of its flashy trumpet tune, but because it wasn't on a news station. A reporter behind a desk appeared on the screen, looking as if they had seen a ghost. _"Ritsuko... Look."_

"We interrupt this current programing to bring you a special emergency broadcast. At approximately 12:00 AM, a terrorist group referring to themselves as Seele…" the reporter paused to swallow, holding back tears, "… A terrorist group known as Seele detonated a bomb inside of the Hoatzin City Pokemon Center, following the event with a full military take-over of the city. We do not have much more detail than that, but we do have some eye-witness accounts from outside the city who have attempted to film from afar. What you are about to see is real, and may be… And may be disturbing to some viewers. I repeat, this may be disturbing to some viewers."

The screen abruptly shifted to a low-quality camera video, taken from the forest overlooking the city. A deep amber glow filled the sky which was dotted with airships, the terrified mumblings of the recorder barely loud enough to drown out the sound of gunfire coming from the burning metropolis. The video was short, and began to loop as the reporter continued.

"We are still receiving information on these events from the past hour. The group responsible has disabled all communication to and from the city, so any first-line reports are right now impossible. In accordance, the death toll is currently unknown-

The screen went black. Yui's trembling hand dropped the remote to the floor, the woman trying to keep herself composed. Ritsuko covered her mouth in shock as she stood up and ran to the door.

"I… I'll be right back!" the professor stammered, "I have to contact Lieutenant Ibuki and find out what HQ knows about this! I'll be back soon, I promise!"

Akagi forgot to close the door behind her, letting the cold air continue to flow in. A chill went up Yui's spine, but it was not because of the draft. Stoutland, whimpering himself, laid his head on his trainer's leg in comfort. Placing a hand on the Pokemon, she used her other hand to wipe her tears. They were not just for Shinji.

"…Damn you, Gendo."

* * *

It was rare that NEV headquarters was in a state of panic like it had just been. The numerous computer screens of the communications bridge had erupted into emergency alerts the moment Hoatzin City's Pokemon Center went down, with the governments of different regions calling in for any sort of info into the attack. With the siege of the city seeming over and Seele taking residence in its ruin, it was up to the acting lieutenants to sort out the situation at hand.

"That was Prof. Akagi," Maya Ibuki said quietly, hanging up his cell phone. Makoto Hyuga and Shigeru Aoba sat on opposite sides of the triangle-shaped table. The three of them had designed the piece of furniture in case they ever had to be in positions of power, but none of them really expected temporary promotions due to events as devastating as this. "She just heard about it."

Closing his laptop, Hyuga adjusted his glasses before reaching for his soda can. "I've finally sorted out the Assault Orders issued from the other regions and the Secret Police. Their forces will arrive at Hoatzin City for a liberation attempt in about two or three hours, give or take. Once we get ourselves back on track we can get some ours to assist them."

"From what I saw, they have a Rayquaza," Shigeru said, taping his finger on the table, "And who knows what else."

"You want us to give up?"

"Did I say that Hyuga? If we wanna stop Seele from doing anything else, we gotta go to the source.

"I didn't know you knew the location of their base."

"Stop putting words in my mouth."

"Hey, you're implying it."

"Will you two stop bickering?!" Maya scolded. Her rare moment of assertiveness dissolved as she fiddled with her hands skittishly. "Look… There's some pretty scary stuff going around, and I don't think we should be fighting with each other."

Shigeru leaned back in his chair, spinning himself with his foot. "Then what do we know so far? The airships came from the North, so we gotta assume that's where Seele is hiding out."

"The "Valley of Groudon" is out that way," Maya added, "But haven't we patrolled that area before?"

"A year ago," Hyuga had opened his laptop again, having pulled up NERV's regional surveillance records, "But it came up clear."

"…Did we ever check the Auk Ocean?" Shigeru asked.

Maya looked to Hyuga, who looked to his laptop.

"Ah… Apparently not. You think they may have been hiding out under the sea?"

"Possibly. But those airships had to have been being built somewhere without anyone noticing… What tech did we use in the surveillance?"

"Just the usual. Spy drone, land rover, you know. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"And they saw nothing?"

"Not a thing."

"So there was no subterranean investigation?"

"Do we even have any tech for that?" Maya questioned.

"Not that I know of," Hyuga replied, "Which is probably why we probably didn't detect anything out there."

Shigeru smirked. "Case closed. Thank me later."

"But what can we do about it?" Hyuga folded his arms, "The Commander isn't here, Misato and Kaji aren't here, and everyone here is so disorganized it's ridiculous. Besides, it's not like we can pull back the forces we need to send to Hoatzin City to venture out into those badlands. We need security here to watch over the Lance, as well."

The image of the pure black lance appeared in Maya mind. She had seen the pronged weapon first hand, and felt the dreadful vibes it emanated. To think that a _Pokemon_ could create such a twisted weapon bothered her greatly.

"…I'm going to use the restroom," Ibuki pushed in her chair and made to the door, hoping to find solace in a stall so she could clear her head of all this chaos. No sooner did she place her hand on the doorknob when a tremor shook the walls around them.

Hyuga dropped his soda can to the floor. "…What the hell was that?"

Grabbing at the laptop, Shigeru quickly opened the security footage archive. Scrolling through the numerous black and white recordings, he froze as he reached that showing the main docking station. In the square portion of water visible to the lieutenants sat a black submarine, with blue EVA units dispersing from it with weapons in hand. Atop the submersible stood a figure, wearing a strange, white mask that resembled something like a shark's jaws.

Maya's trembling hand covered her mouth. "Oh, God… They're here!"

Closing the laptop, Shigeru nodded to Hyuga. "Let's not get our asses kicked by an Angel this time."

"Didn't plan on it."

* * *

"It all comes tumbling down now," Kaworu said, sitting atop the bridge of a Seele warship looking down over the wreckage of Hoatzin City, "But this is how it must be, it seems."

"Is that what Keel told you?"

The boy turned to the captive Gendo beside him, hands cuffed behind him. The Commander of NERV was bruised and battered, his jacket torn up from when Zoroark had restrained him after escaping the crumbling building. Still, his expression looked the same as ever.

"If you are referring to Bardiel, then yes. The most efficient way to solve a problem is to erase it completely."

"Because Keel knows they would never submit to Seele. Correct?"

"That is what I was told."

"So you fear death if you do not obey him?"

Kaworu looked at the man with curiosity. "…I do not understand. I was told to follow Bardiel's orders without question. What purpose would I have to disobey him?"

He was just like Rei, Gendo thought. Made to obey and follow orders, nothing more, nothing less. But Rei had changed. She had returned to try and rescue him, as foolish as it may have been. But she had surpassed this boy.

Still, this was Gendo's chance.

"Do you even know what Bardiel is trying to achieve through all of this?"

"…A better world. For our kind."

"And that is all he told you?"

"He said the details were not important at the time."

"Were you not curious of why? Surely you as a sentient being would be curious to know what he is hiding from you."

Kaworu paused, remembering back to the cave in the woods and what the Mark 06 EVA had been programmed to say.

'_Free will is irrelevant.'_

That was not true. By being with Shinji, Kaworu had learned much about how others behave and feel. Valuable information like that surely couldn't be irrelevant, could it? Bardiel had condemned his curiosity before. Was he no more valuable than that drone?

"…If you were to tell me of what you know, why should I believe you?"

"Because I was there since the beginning... At _Gehirn."_

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_Turn Back The Pendulum!_

_Gendo and Bardiel's Past Revealed!_


	27. Stage 27: Puppet Theater - Act 1

_24 years ago._

It was the year 1991, fresh into the new decade, and Gehirn was welcoming its new wave of graduate students into its ranks. Only the most promising young scientific minds were allowed into the ranks of this prestigious research facility, whose name brandished laboratories from Kanto to Kalos. Over its near 100 years of activity, Gehirn had explored countless fields, from the relation of human and Pokemon biology to the formation of the world's regions in both geologic and spiritualistic means. Currently they were looking for graduates specializing in archaeology and bioengineering, along with those who had dabbled into the studies of philosophy.

Gendo Rokubungi fit all those qualifications.

The young man of 24 years gazed up at the large domed building, its pearly white color reminiscent of the marble temples of old. Trees with orange autumn leaves lined the path to its grand entrance, hundreds of other students walking in front of him. All were anxious to be accepted here, but only a select few would even be considered. Gendo was not like them. He had not been invited to the circular auditorium, to hear the benefits and mission of Gehirn.

No, he had already been chosen by the head of Gehirn himself. Or so the letter said.

He had received the letter just days ago, while sitting in his lowly apartment that only a fresh-out-of-school individual could be satisfied with. The letter itself was inconspicuous; if he had not been diligent to read every word printed on his mail, then it surely would have gone into the trash. Gendo believed it was a joke; a handwritten piece of paper signed by the head of Gehirn was contained in the envelope, with instructions on how to reach the facility and what to do once he arrived.

Even now, Gendo felt unsure. He walked into the building, making a left and up a staircase as the crowd continued forward and into the basement. Reading right from the letter, he made his way through the mazelike halls before spying what appeared to be a researcher only slightly older than himself. He was quite short, and his eyes lit up upon seeing Ikari.

"Gendo Rokubungi, yes?" the man took his hand and shook it ecstatically.

"Um… Yes. I am Gendo Rokubungi."

"Excellent, excellent! The Director has been waiting for you! Follow me, if you will."

The short researcher led the way now, seemingly oblivious to Gendo peering through the windows of the labs they passed. There were very few Pokemon about, bar a few that were being used in simple experiments. Gendo had expected to see some extravagant tests going on; so far nothing he had seen was too striking or interesting.

"Are you sure that Gehirn needs so many new applicants?" Gendo asked the researcher, "You seem to have many hands at work here."

"Oh, this is not where you will be working. The labs up here are for the public eye, yes. Gehirn's main research is conducted elsewhere."

"Is there a reason the public shouldn't see it?"

"Well… It is not that we don't want the world to _see_ it. It is more that we don't feel the world will be ready to _accept_ it."

"Is that so?"

"Once you see it, you will understand. Ah, there's his office."

A large ebony door stood before the two, flanked by two bronze Pidgeot statues. The researcher knocked twice in succession, and the door parted in two. The room itself looked like the typical office of a scholar. Bookshelves, desks, plaques, an ornate rug. Just like out of a movie. Even the desk sitting in front of a panoramic window fit the bill, with an older man occupying its chair. He was quite old, at least 60, and wore glasses with black lenses that obscured his eyes completely. Smiling, he stood from his seat, walking slowly with a cane towards Gendo and the researcher.

"Thank you for showing this young man the way, Ian," he said, "Though I believe he would have been quite capable of finding his way nonetheless."

"You must be the Director," Gendo said, bowing his head. He was in in near disbelief: any thoughts of the letter being fake had just went out the window. "My name is Gendo Rokubungi. I am honored that you considered me for Gehirn."

"My name is Keel Lorenz II, Director of Gehrin and all of its partner operations" the old man said, also gesturing to the researcher, "And this is Ian Rusenburg, Head of Technological Advancement and Application, as well as Co-Leader of the Biology Department. Please, sit. I want to pick your mind, see what you think of the place."

Gendo sat down, pulling a chair closer to the desk as the Director sat back down across from him. "Well, from what I've heard there are things here you don't want the public to see. The man who escorted me here-

"Ian told you about that?"

"…Was he not supposed to?"

The Director shot Ian a soft scolding look. The researcher laughed nervously. "A slip of the tongue, yes. I assumed you would tell him anyways."

"That is true," the Director said, leaning back in his seat, "But I wanted to tell him myself. It is something I hold great pride in."

Intrigued, Gendo leaned forward, resting his chin on his hands. "What exactly is it that you are doing here, Director?"

"You shall see in due time. There is much more I want to know about you."

* * *

The elevator descended down into Gehirn's depths, a flash of red light signifying the passing of every 50 feet. Gendo stood calmly by the Director and Ian, keeping his anxiousness at a minimum. Any other person would be babbling to the two older men, asking questions constantly about what they were about to see. Gendo knew better than to make himself look like a fool, no matter how much he was holding back his urge to speak. He would find out soon enough. Besides, he never did enjoy ruining surprises. Whateverthe Director and Ian were doing so deep within the earth would surely be worth the wait.

"We've reached the 750 foot depth, yes" Ian noted, "Initiating deceleration of descent."

A slight jerk shook the men inside. The Director repositioned his glasses on his face, letting out a dry chuckle. "That last lurch always gets me. Even after all these times coming down."

Gendo smiled briefly, his expression flattening as the elevator came to a stop. The doors parted open, revealing a sight unlike he had ever seen before. His mouth dropped in awe upon seeing the countless rows of tanks, each illuminated in alternating blue and black lights. Many contained what looked like large fetuses floating within the unidentifiable liquid. "This… Is not what I was expecting…"

"Magnificent, aren't they?" the Director said, stepping out, "All of them will be fully grown in a matter of months. If they survive, that is. We've had quite a few failed batches."

Gendo followed the old man, soon passing him and approaching the closest tank. Inside, a small figure was floating, curled up with knees tucked to its chest. Its arms were tiny blades, and it appeared to have vestigial wings forming on its back. Upon looking at its reptilian head, Gendo recognized it as a Scyther. "You… You're creating-

"Pokemon, yes," Ian answered proudly, placing a hand on the tank. "But not just any ones: perfected ones. For years trainers have bred for the perfect Pokemon, with few ever succeeding. Individual values, natures, traits, behavior, shininess… Those endeavors will all be a thing of the past once we reveal _this_ to the world: _Project Pokegen_."

Gendo turned his eyes to the other tanks extending out before him. He could see a wide variety of Pokemon species inside them, and almost felt a wave of queasiness come over him. This was so… unnatural. Was this even right for them to be doing? Only one word could escape his lips.

"…_Why?"_

"Aside from what Ian has just said," the Director said, pacing past Ikari, "We as a species, as mankind, want to exceed the limits we put on ourselves. To be able to perform the acts that a god might, to create life from near nothing, is our ultimate goal. But all we can do now is recreate perfect copies of things that already exist. These Pokemon you see are produced from templates, from DNA of Pokemon that researchers of Gehirn call their own. Think of them as offspring of those Pokemon, only tweaked by science. They will have emotion, a mind different from their parents. What we want more than anything, however, is to create something _new."_

"Something new?" Gendo turned away from the developing Scyther, walking briskly to catch up with the Director, "As in a new species?"

"You catch on quickly, Gendo," the Director patted him on the shoulder. "Gehirn has so far only been able to clone _existing_ species of Pokemon successfully. We have been slowly working on one specimen in another region for some time now, one that we feel may become the strongest being to ever call this planet home. A friend of mine has been conducting gene splicing to try and distance its genetic code from its original source as much as possible. Once his work is done, we will begin cloning the resulting Pokemon until we reach ultimate perfection. That is what we call Project: Zwei."

"And what will that achieve? When science results in perfection, then what will science's purpose become?"

"You are quite inquisitive, Gendo. When we reach perfection, then we must try to meet the one that gave us the potential to reach it. For our perfect being to meet God himself will be the defining moment of humanity. That is why we came to you."

Gendo raised an eyebrow at the man. "You believe I can help you reach God?"

"From what I have read of your transcripts and papers, you have a fairly advanced knowledge of Sinnoh's creation myths. I believe with the assistance of our resources here at Gehirn, you can help us find how to communicate with the Heavens."

Gendo began putting things together in his head. This was a lot being thrown at him in such a short time; now he was beginning to wonder if this was some long dream more than a sick joke! "I'm guessing I can't refuse the offer, now that I've come this far."

"That wouldn't be very wise of you to do," a new voice said, from somewhere Gendo couldn't see, "We'd have to kill you then."

The Director sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Now quit that immature behavior. I told you jokes like that would not be tolerated."

From between two tanks, a lean figure emerged. He was about Gendo's age, maybe a year or two younger, with grey spiky hair and a face that looked almost childlike, if one ignored the rough stubble he didn't bother to shave. Crow's feet sat under his eyes, and he was very pale; all signs that he probably spent most of his time down here in the dark.

"So you're the one the old man picked out," he said, looking Gendo over as if he were a used car, "Was expecting a woman. Not enough of them down here."

"This rude fellow is my _grandson,_" the Director said almost apologetically, "Keel Lorenz IV. Disregard his behavior, if you will."

Gendo laughed awkwardly, trying his best not to give the newcomer a dirty look. "Oh, I do not mind. I have worked alongside others that behaved like savages. I don't think anyone is capable of topping their disruptive ways."

"Challenge accepted," Keel cracked his knuckles, "Want me to show him around more gramps?"

"Yes," the Director said, "And don't be a bother, Keel. You two will be working alongside each other from now on."

"Got it. Come on, um…

"Gendo-

"_Gendo_. That's it. This way, I'll show you my workshop."

* * *

It took Gendo three years to warm up to Keel Lorenz IV. The reclusive man was quite bold in his words; if he didn't like something, he would express his distaste in great, vulgar detail. Ikari could no longer keep track of his many outbursts, and he soon treated them as a weekly event. Still, Keel was excellent at what he did. Together they had travelled to the Sinjoh Ruins in the Johto region and deciphered the hieroglyphics within nigh completely, an accomplishment that earned Gehirn fame and recognition and them a well-needed vacation. Well, for Gendo at least. Keel was too strung up in his work to even consider taking a break. He had teased 'Roku' (a pet name Gendo absolutely despised) for taking the time off, but knew he could not stop him. "I guess we know who the better mind is," he would mock, but only out of jest.

When Gendo had returned a few days ago, he had found that Keel had been focused on one particular relic recovered from the Sinjoh Ruins: an old book, written in the Unown alphabet just like the rest of the ruins, but with faded-out text and missing some pages. Since then they had both been trying to put its scripture back together, only leaving the workspace for emergency bathroom breaks. Papers of tossed-out attempts littered the floor, amongst other things that Keel had thrown out of frustration. Now they both sat, Gendo calmly with a cup of coffee and Keel with his feet on the desk, pinching his brow.

"Damn this book to Hell…" he muttered, running his hands through his hair. He looked to Gendo, who was just as exhausted as him. "Break time, Roku?"

Gendo laughed a little. "_You_ want to take a break? That's a first."

"Hey, I'm still human," Keel folded his arms, yawning. "So… You get any tail while on vacation?"

The deadpan question made Gendo choke on his spit. Recovering from the small coughing fit that overcame him, Gendo looked at him incredulously. "I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me. Did you meet a special someone? Bedroom consort? _A fuck-buddy?"_

"I get it, I get it," Ikari waved him off, "And no, I didn't 'get any tail'."

"Figured."

"…Her name is Yui."

Keel paused, making sure he was hearing him right. "…You're not fuckin' with me, right? 'Cause I was just fuckin' with _you._ Don't fuck with _me_, Roku."

"Believe me, I wouldn't. Her full name is Yui Ikari. Born in Kanto, but moved here to Avia when she was still a girl," Gendo smiled softly as a vision of Yui forming in his eyes. "I met her while attending the Avia Regional Championships. She's an amazing Pokemon trainer. Her battles are more like art than a contest. The bond between her and her Pokemon is just breathtaking."

"…Hold up," Keel interrupted, "I recognize that name. _Ikari, Ikari…" _

He snapped his fingers.

"_Ikari!_ I saw her on the T.V while you were gone!"

"Weren't you working the whole time I was gone?"

"_Shut up._ But god-damn, Roku! She was the fuckin' _winner_ of that tournament! How the hell did someone like _you_ meet _her?"_

Gendo ignored the obvious taunting. "By chance, basically. I had dropped my glasses-

"Heh. Nerd."

"This coming from the basement workaholic who hasn't seen a woman in probably years."

"What? That's fuckin' funny. Like out of a sitcom, or some shit. Oh, and fuck you, too."

"…Anyways, I had dropped my glasses while leaving the event, and she just happened to be there to pick them up for me. When she smiled at me, I knew she was the one. I'd never met someone as kind as her in my life. We could talk for hours about anything. She seemed interested in every part of me."

"Does she know you work here? You didn't tell her about our research, did you?"

"Only that I worked at Gehirn, and that I couldn't disclose anything about my research. She understood, and never asked about it again."

"Good girl. Younger or older?"

"She's 20 years old."

Keel snickered. "So is it true how those younger girls are better in the sack?"

"I told you I didn't do any of that with her."

"She turn you down or something?"

"It was a mutual decision. We don't want to rush things yet."

"Sounds like an excuse to me."

"You just don't understand a committed relationship, do you?"

"Hey, at least I've been with a woman."

"…Really now."

"Remember that lab assistant Micha?"

"You're lying."

"Am I?"

A stare down, followed by a sigh of defeat.

"…Back to work, Roku."

Turning back to his desk, Gendo smiled to himself. Keel was an asshole, but he could tell the recluse was genuinely happy for him. Still, it would be a long time before he would introduce him to Yui.

If at all, that is.

* * *

Two years passed before the book was deciphered completely. Between Gendo's periodic leaving to spend time with Yui and the ever-advancing Project Pokegen, Keel had worked alongside Ian Rusenburg in organizing the relic's text into a readable format. The final product had revealed much less than anticipated (most of it was a re-copy of the ruin's hieroglyphics), but one passage stood out as new:

_~ Cast from Heaven, out of reach from the Hands of Man, the Song that quells His heart and captures his Soul lies in the Bay of Blue, guarded by the King of the Sea in the domain of Truth and Ideals.~_

It was a statement shrouded with allegories, but one thing was clear: a part of God was still on Earth. The Director was more than ecstatic with the trio that had helped uncover the passage, and had awarded them each possession of one of the many Pokemon that had been successfully created through Project: Pokegen. Where Gendo and Ian refused, Keel accepted the reward in a heartbeat. He adopted a shiny Froakie, the one Pokemon he had created for himself and yearned to own ever since he was a child.

Keel had never owned a Pokemon before Froakie. The small frog never left his side, and he trained with it every day, finally leaving the shadows of the underground to see the light of day and bond with it in the wild and in battle. He was outstanding in battle, but Gendo noted his almost savage nature when in competition. Keel was cold, calculating, unrelenting on his opponent and their Pokemon. As the Froakie evolved into a Frogadier and then into a Greninja in a matter of months, the once jolly little frog had become an almost silent and reclusive creature, acting aggressive towards anyone that wasn't Keel. It made Gendo slightly uncomfortable, but felt it wasn't his place to question Keel and his methods of training and raising his Pokemon.

During this time, the Director had travelled to Kanto's Cinnabar Island to oversee the work being done on Project Zwei. He had been gone for exactly a month when Gendo had returned from a date with Yui. It was late at night when he went down to the basement, where Keel was surely at work. Sure enough, he was at his desk, Greninja keeping a watchful eye out for visitors. The frog nearly attacked Gendo on sight before recognizing him as a comrade of his master, and tapped Keel on the shoulder to alert him of company.

"Still working on the passage?" Gendo asked, peering over Keel's shoulder at his computer screen. The grey-haired man quickly minimized it, but not before Gendo got a good look at the robotic schematics he had been working on. "What were those?"

"Just something I was messing around with," Keel responded, a lack of truth in his voice, "I'll tell you about it later. How'd it go with Yui?"

Gendo could sense the lack of sincerity in his question. "Fine. We just went out to dinner in Hoatzin City, walked the streets a bit… Are you feeling alright?"

"…Why do you ask?"

"You seem different, ever since the Director left for Kanto. Did you argue with him again?"

Keel grunted. "…The old man doesn't get it. He thinks that meeting God will be humanity's greatest achievement. He's held that same damn train of thought for years, yet never considered the _possibilities_ we could make out of contacting our so-called _Creator."_

"What do you mean?" Gendo asked cautiously. Something about Keel's tone felt… wrong. It was unlike him to sound so venomous towards his grandfather, even though they butted heads most of the time. One could get the feeling that he downright _hated_ the older man by the tone of his voice.

"Mankind ate from the Tree of Knowledge, and was punished for gaining the benefits of the fruit it bore by God himself. But why? Why should we obey a God who wanted to restrict our evolution? One who wanted us to stay like primitive, careless animals he could play with like dolls? No wonder the Renegade dragon tried to strike him down…"

Gendo was worrying now. What Keel was talking about was madness! "Keel… You can't possibly mean-

The sound of frantic footsteps came from behind Gendo. Greninja jumped forward, readying a Water Shuriken. The Pokemon stood back when he saw Ian Rusenberg dashing towards them. The small man was pale in the face, and looked about ready to collapse.

"Ian!" Gendo quickly knelt down by the researcher, supporting his wobbling body, "What happened? Are you okay?"

Still seated, Keel looked at Ian with a cold stare: there was nothing to say that Gendo hadn't already. The researcher looked back at him, blinking once.

"There was an explosion on Cinnabar Island, at the facility where Project Zwei was being held. The subject had broken free of its restraints and turned on anything within its vicinity. There are reports of a few survivors, but… But the Director was not among them."

* * *

_**Next Stage:**_

_Fallout From Cinnabar Island!_

_The Second Act in a Performance Towards Madness!_


	28. Stage 28: Puppet Theater - Act 2

The cover-up of the events on Cinnabar Island for the public eye went swiftly and efficiently. The explosion of the building was attributed to gaseous leaks making contact with a small electrical spark in the basement, which started a chain reaction up to the surface. Bodies were removed and identities changed, so the incident could not be traced back to Gehirn. A fake document listed Director Keel Lorenz II's death as result of a heart attack while in his hotel residence. The test subject was not recovered.

The Director had established precedents in case Gehirn was left without his leadership. Research and public affairs would continue just the same, along with mostly everything else the facility did; the only major change would be who took the title of director. Many assumed that the position would go to Keel Lorenz IV, him being the only immediate descendant of the Director still alive. Many were opposed to this ruling, and with good reason. Keel's mental stability was declining after his grandfather's death. He never left the basement now, and kept himself hidden even down there. When he actually did show his face, Keel was nothing more than aggressive and unstable. Anyone around him would feel uneasy and anxious; he was a ticking time bomb.

When Keel found out that Gendo had been given the position of Director of Gehirn just a week after his grandfather's death, many feared that he would go off completely.

Gendo was obviously surprised at the Director's decision to appoint him. Having only been at Gehirn for four years, he surely believed that there were others more qualified for the position than himself. He at first argued for Keel to take his grandfather's position; though he knew his friend was steadily becoming worse in his beliefs, it was more in effort to not provoke Keel even more. But the Director's final words were not to be denied:

"I chose Gendo to work for Gehirn for a reason," said the Director in his recorded will, "He is reasonable in his decisions, and knows what is best to be done. And while I do indeed love my grandson like he is my own, I do not feel he will act with Gehirn's best intentions in heart if I was to appoint him instead. With Gendo Rokubungi as the leader in the future I will not be a part of, I believe that Gehirn will finally ascend the limits of humanity."

The day that Gendo received his title of Director, Keel did not show at the ceremony. Gendo wanted him at his side, to know that he could still call him a friend even after receiving a position that rightfully belonged to him, regardless of his state of mind. Perhaps being given the title would pull Keel back to his senses. Now Gendo would never find out.

"I'm beginning to understand why you never wanted me to meet him," Yui Ikari said, sitting beside Gendo on the balcony of his apartment. It was past midnight, hours after the ceremony had ended. Gendo had risen from his bed multiple times being unable to sleep, and Yui had finally awoken to comfort him.

"Keel is like a child," Gendo explained, shaking his head, "If something doesn't go his way, he lashes out. I had known that he and the Director had never been on the same terms, but now that he can't get the satisfaction of showing up his grandfather in person he's probably going to take it out on me. He probably despises me now."

"Don't talk like that," Yui wrapped her arms around Gendo's waist from behind, placing her head on his shoulder, "If he is your friend, he will understand. Hopefully, that is."

"…There is something he is hiding from me."

Yui paused for a moment, shifting her grip on him. "What would that be?"

"I really shouldn't be telling you this."

"Gendo, it's me. Why would I ever do anything to hurt you? I will keep any secrets you tell me."

He hesitated. It was against Gehirn's policy to speak of any research taking place behind their walls, even the kind Keel was hiding. Gendo stared at Yui's face for a brief moment, then back to his feet.

"…I saw it not too long ago. Schematics for something robotic, I believe. Suits of armor, or cyborg implants. I didn't get a good look at them, since he closed them on his computer the moment I walked in on him. He was very dodgy about what they were afterwards."

"Does Gehirn even have any history of working in robotics?"

"Not that I know of."

"It must be a personal project of his then. And if he was being so secretive about it, then he must think you wouldn't approve of it."

"What worries me more is what he said after I came in. The Director used to say that Gehirn's goal was to meet God, but that's what Keel disagreed with him about. I think… I think Keel wants to _kill _God."

Yui's eyes widened for a moment, before looking away in confused concern. "Is something like that even possible?"

"I don't want to find out."

"Are you going to talk to him?"

"Tomorrow. But I fear the worst."

A slight breeze went over the two of them. Yui shivered, gripping Gendo just a bit tighter. "I doubt he'd actually hurt you."

"That's not it," Gendo shook his head. He swallowed, closing his eyes. "I'm not good with Pokemon. My parents are gone. The only ones I have to lean on are you and Keel. He might not be the best person in the world, but… I love him like I would a brother. I just know that when I do this tomorrow, it may never be the same."

Yui stayed motionless. She could feel him shivering.

"...I'll come with you."

"I can't allow that."

"You've broken the rules right now. One more won't hurt-

"_Yui." _Gendo had turned around to her, grasping her hands. He pressed his forehead against hers, eyes locked. "When I come back tomorrow, we'll go to the Rosary Grill, like you've been asking. My treat." Another gust of cold air hit them. "It's getting cold out. Let's get back to bed."

His smile. It was that geeky smile that Yui was unable to resist when she first saw him. She pecked him on the lips and stood, still holding his hand. "By the way," she said softly, stepping back in, "It's the _Rosemary_ Grill."

Gendo sighed, letting out an exhausted chuckle. "You do remember I'm running on no sleep, right?"

"Excuses, excuses..."

* * *

The following morning, Gendo entered that familiar darkness once again. As he passed the now empty tanks of Project: Pokegen, he couldn't help but feel anxious about the eminent meeting with Keel. The vast silence of the basement didn't help either; it was unusually quiet this time. Not even the sound of a keyboard being typed on could be heard. Upon reaching Keel's workspace, the man was nowhere in sight. Perplexed, Gendo walked around for some time, searching for any trace of him.

Eventually, Gendo stumbled across something _new._ A closed door, out of sight from anybody not looking for it. Opening it revealed a stairway descending down even further into the earth, with noise coming from the black void. A small LED flashlight in hand, Gendo made his way down, the grinding and slicing of machinery growing louder with every step. A lifetime seemed to pass before he could see the bottom. A strobe-like flashing was visible from quite a few flights up, irregular ceasing as the man behind it paused on his work. Gendo saw his shadow on the wall, hunched over a steel operating table that was larger than any he had seen before.

The subject lying on the table officially confirmed Gendo's fears. It was a near-perfect copy of what he had spotted on Keel's computer screen. A black, humanoid suit of armor topped with a reptilian head stared up at the ceiling with empty eye sockets. If standing, it would tower over a normal man by at least two heads, not including the extra height from its large squared-off shoulder pads.

Keel finally noticed Gendo as he turned his way to reach for another tool. He stared at the new Director with cold eyes, a confident smile on his face.

"I figured you'd find this eventually, Roku," Keel said, without a hint of surprise.

"What is this, Keel?!" Gendo yelled, his hand tightening into a fist, "I _demand_ an explanation for this!"

Keel turned back to the table, continuing his work with airbrush in hand. "What do you think of the paint job on this one? I think it might be the one. Black and red are an excellent color combination, don't you think?"

"You heard what I said! _Answer me Keel!"_

Sighing, Keel calmly put the tool down.

"Before you arrived here Roku, I had a vision of what I wanted to do with my life. It was this: The EVA Series. I wanted to create something that would ultimately bring peace to the globe. Something that could terminate any threats to society… Well, until I realized that society was the threat to begin with. Society worships a God that isn't even of our own kind, one that didn't want us to taste knowledge in the first place! Someone had to change that, Roku! And that is what this, the EVA Series will do. They are vessels for the soul of humanity, a perfected body for a select few to plant their lives into. Never will they perish from old age; they will be immortal like God himself!"

A mix of fascination and horror filled Gendo's mind, rendering him speechless as Keel continued.

"Of course, not everyone is worthy. I have created four suits so far. Prototype 00 was exactly what its name implied; it was never suited for the task I had granted it. Units 01, 02, and 03 on the other hand… They are ready for the awakening. That is, once I have appropriate souls for them. So far, all those that I have collected have been rejected. So many bodies to dispose of."

Gendo nearly fell to his knees out of pure shock. "Y-You're… _You're killing people!"_

"Technically, no," Keel presented his hand to Gendo, on which he wore a deep purple glove with strange glowing symbols imprinted on it. "The Hand of God. Sewn from the materials of a Reaper Cloth, the fabric connected to Dusknoir, the Pokemon that takes souls to the underworld. It has the power to rip a soul straight from another's body. No blood, no mess. Just a transplant of life. You'd be surprised how easily bodies burn… Anyways, I've been removing the souls of homeless tramps and others that society seems to look over. None of them have been strong enough to power the EVAs. Perhaps I will create some with artificial intelligence in the place of a soul. Strong souls are hard to come by-

_*WHAM!*_

The punch knocked Keel into the corner of the metal table and to the floor. With Keel's blood on his fist, Gendo towered over him, a look of pure rage on his face. Wiping his mouth, Keel glared up at him with venom.

"Of course you wouldn't understand. Just like the old man."

"The Director knew about this?!"

"I proposed it to him as an alternative to Project: Pokegen. It makes much more sense, either way: Why create a perfect being when man can perfect _himself?!_ A perfect body, immortality, and the power to _kill God!_ What else could man desire?! This is all to show the old man that he was wrong! I will not only surpass the limits of humanity, but I will slay God and take his power as my own! A perfect being, the fusion of man and beast! Mankind will finally have one worth worshipping!"

The crazed smile on Keel's face struck Gendo in the heart. The man he had considered his friend was gone, if was ever truly there. Right now, he was glad that Yui didn't come. No one should ever have to hear and see this madness.

"I was going to ask you to join me, Roku," Keel mumbled, crawling away on his hands and knees, "We could transfer our souls to the EVAs together, as brothers in arms against God. But you are apparently not the man I thought you were. I thought you were intelligent. But now I see you're just a fool."

"You realize I have to inform the authorities about this."

"Go ahead… I will not stop you. But I will give you this."

A briefcase was flung at Gendo, hitting him in the chest with a thud.

"That is something I want you to have. It is yours, after all. I took the time to perfect the genome's sequence while you were busy with Yui. I just want to thank you for the inspiration to clone myself. Perhaps I may do it one day, if it becomes necessary."

Staring at the briefcase in hand, Gendo turned his back to Keel. "I will give you one chance, Keel. Forget about all of this, and go back to the way things were… _It doesn't have to be this way, God-dammit!"_

A short pause.

"If you are not with me, then you are my enemy."

"…Then so be it, Keel. Goodbye."

Gendo never looked back as he made his back up to the surface. He would not let Keel get the satisfaction of seeing his tears.

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_A Line in the Sand!_

_The Birth of NERV!_


	29. Stage 29: Puppet Theater - Act 3

_**Hey guys! I apologize for the info-dump in this one, but its pretty important to establishing the timeline here. Lots of easter-eggs as well, so I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

When the authorities arrived at Gehirn, there was no trace of Keel or his work to be found. The door and stairway down to the secret lab were present, but led to an empty room. Gendo suspected that Keel had a form of getaway by the way he spoke; why else would he have said he wouldn't stop him from telling others? Likewise, all information pertaining to Keel's research had been removed from Gehirn's databases entirely, even down to his identity.

Keel and his possessions were not all that had gone missing. Ian Rusenburg had vanished as well. Later investigation of security cameras revealed that he had been travelling down to that room alongside Keel in the early morning; a journal left behind by the short scientist showed his own distaste of the old Director, and his secret joy upon hearing his demise. Gendo had to admit Ian's acting when telling them of the accident was on-point, but it did nothing to lower his disgust with the other colleague he once trusted.

The absence of Keel and Ian were not the only problems Gendo had to face. Nearly a year after the incident on Cinnabar Island, secrets of the experiments going on there went public. Unbeknownst to Gendo, the leader of Kanto crime syndicate Team Rocket, known only as Giovanni, had been putting money into the pockets of some of Gehirn's board members to further fund the project with the promise that he might one day receive the genetically-born Pokemon for himself. Under heavy fire from the press and government, Gendo had only one option.

Gehirn ceased all activity on June 19th, 1997.

At this time, Gendo had fallen into a deep depression. During the final few days of Gehirn, he spent his time with Yui hoping to find comfort with her. She was his crutch, and in December they married. They purchased a small house on the outskirts of Merganser Town, not too far away from the home of Yui's friend and childhood rival, Kyoko Zeppelin Soryu. The sweet but brash woman had urged the newlyweds to move in by her, and would not take no for an answer. Still, these drastic changes towards a better future did not cure Gendo's disposition.

Keel and Ian had seemingly dropped off the face of the Earth, with authorities unable to find any trace of them. Knowing just what Keel was capable of worried Gendo, and every passing day was one step closer to Keel potentially reaching his twisted dream. At night, when Yui was asleep, Gendo would contact former members of Gehirn in hopes of hearing some sort of news regarding his former friend's whereabouts.

It was not until the summer of 1998 that Gendo Ikari finally felt some solace.

During a raging storm in Unova's Undella Bay, local coastguards had engaged an unmarked skipper ship conducting illegal searching within the waters. When the men of the skipper retaliated with firepower, the authorities responded in same. During the skirmish, a large wave had hit the skipper causing one of the men onboard to accidentally fire on its fuel tanks, setting it ablaze. Only one survivor was recovered; the captain, identified as Keel Lorenz III. He had been gravely wounded, with massive facial scarring and internal injuries. Authorities had doubted he would survive the night.

Unfortunately, Keel was not under their custody for long. In a brief, violent attack on the shoreline not even an hour later, a helicopter carrying what appeared to be robotic drones came and retrieved his body, flying off into the clouds of the storm where they could not be pursued. Further searching recovered no traces of their escape vehicle.

Days later, Gendo received a call from the International Secret Police. There wanted to establish a meeting with him, to discuss his time at Gehirn and of his knowledge of Keel's plans. Yui was none too happy with this. She begged Gendo to leave the past behind, but a part of her knew that the man couldn't do so and keep on living his life.

Gendo was escorted to Hoatzin City by the Secret Police within one of their pitch-black sedans, his first glimpses of the magnificent city through tinted windows. Being in a stuffy room in a suit reminded him of Gehrin, but this was not the same. Gendo sat intently, resting his chin on his hands as he awaited for the others to arrive. When they did, he was quite surprised by their appearance; he didn't expect to be meeting with a young man and a blonde woman no older than 20 and seemingly still in college.

"Mr. Ikari?" the man asked, extending his hand to Gendo, who shook it.

"Yes, and you are?"

"I am International Secret Police Officer Codename: Looker. That is what they all call me. And this is Ritsuko Akagi, an up-and-coming Pokemon Professor and expert in Pokemon biology."

"It is an honor to meet you," the blonde said, bowing her head, "I-I have read all of your papers you published while at Gehrin, Mr. Ikari. Your study on the genome similarity between humans and Pokemon is truly astounding."

"It seems I have a fan," Gendo smiled briefly, adjusting his glasses, "But unfortunately, that isn't what we are here to discuss, is it?"

"Unfortunately, no," Looker nodded, taking a seat across from Gendo, "For some time now, the Secret Police have been trying to track down a particular man named Keel Lorenz III, someone you have known personally. After the recent incident in Unova, we have decided to take the initiative against him."

"And you need my help with this?"

"There are few men in the world who have ever been personal acquaintances with public enemy No. 1 that are not one of his accomplices. Your knowledge of his behavior is just what we need to bring him to justice!"

Gendo eased back in his chair. "You realize my current situation, correct? Being the former leader of Gehrin does not give me the best public image. The name of that institution implies corruption to whomever is attached to it."

"We are not going to ask you for any public appearances or anything of that sort," Looker responded, stroking his chin. "We are the Secret Police, after all. Consider this a transfer of your authority from Gehrin to us, if you so wish. And we wish for you to be the Head Commander of Operations."

"…What exactly do you have planned?"

"Let me tell you, then. A new organization. One under jurisdiction of the Secret Police, but acts as its own authority. It would be suited for operations involving high-priority criminals such as Keel, and anything pertaining to terroristic action. All actions will be conducted in the upmost secrecy, to prevent any sort of compromise to any of its branches."

"So you're implying that it is not just an anti-terrorist group, correct?"

"There are… _certain things_ that the higher ups are hesitant to deal with. Mostly things in the subject of mythology. They feel that we should be dealing with _actual_ problems to society, not "fairy tales" as they call them. I know of your background in that field, Gendo, which is yet another reason I have come to you for this position." He looked to Ritsuko. "If you would please show it to him."

"Of course." Akagi removed her backpack opening it to reveal a black box. Delicately, she placed it on the table and put in the lock combination. Inside was a strange lavender object, with holes on its side and a red projection on one end. To Gendo, it looked like some strange instrument, like a flute.

"This is what was found on Keel's skipper," Looker said, "We ourselves still don't know what it truly is. Apparently it was worth risking his life over to keep it from us."

He handed the object to Gendo, who upon touching it gained a strange feeling in his stomach. It was warm to the touch, and felt like flesh… Like an organ…

The translation of the Ruins of Alph's hieroglyphics flew into his mind.

_Cast from Heaven, out of reach from the Hands of Man…_

The depths of the sea.

…_The Song that quells His heart and captures his Soul…_

A melody played on an instrument to summon His presence.

_Lies in the Bay of Blue, guarded by the King of the Sea in the domain of Truth and Ideals._

Undella Bay in Unova, the land created through the war between the two brothers and their dragons; one striving for the truth, the other ideals.

The object fell from Gendo's shaking hands, Ritsuko throwing herself over the table to catch it. Ikari could not take his eyes off of it.

This was it.

_Keel had found it._

"Ikari!" Looker leaned over the table, "Are you alright?"

"That… _That_ is the Heart of God…!"

Looker and Ritsuko's eyes widened in disbelief.

"…Are you sure?"

Gendo nodded slowly. "There's no doubting it… The Secret Police are damn lucky they stopped him from getting away with this. If Keel had ever managed to use this, then the repercussions would be earth-shattering."

"Then you will help us?"

There was no other choice: Keel had to be captured to put an end to this.

"As the former head of Gehirn, I must do what is best for humanity. That was our mission then, and I will carry it as my own until I die."

"Truly a cause God would stand behind," Looker smiled, taking the artifact in his hands, "The knowledge of humanity will defend the heart of God… Welcome to NERV, Commander Ikari."

* * *

"We were supposed to _discuss_ this, Gendo!"

Yui's irritation could be felt from her end of the line as Gendo stood on the balcony of the meeting room. He had told her everything Looker had told him, but there was one thing that had shaken her the most. The construction of NERV headquarters in the Tern Sea was nearing completion, and he would soon depart for it by the end of the week. Two days, to be exact. He knew his wife would be opposed to his decision. They had moved to the country to escape his past, to eventually start a family. But to let Keel run free… Gendo could not fathom it.

"I told you about him, Yui. What Keel planned to do would jeopardize not just _our_ lives, but _everyone's_ in the region! They _need _me to do this! I have to put a stop to him!"

"He's not your responsibility anymore! Gehirn is gone!"

"It was my fault that his schemes went unnoticed in the first place! I should have never left him alone for so long!"

The line went quiet briefly. "…Don't punish yourself, Gendo. You don't need to carry this burden."

"I have to make things right, Yui… I love you."

"Don't say that."

"Why not?"

"…It makes me feel like you're leaving forever."

"I'm coming back tomorrow, not to mention every chance I get. I might not be around, but I will never stop thinking of you… Wait for me. Noon tomorrow. I'll bring Miss Akagi to dinner so you can meet her. She told me she was thinking about setting up her lab in town."

He could hear Yui sigh softly. "So now you're leaving me, and giving me extra work?"

"I could invite Kyoko, too."

"You know you don't have to. She walks in every day anyways."

They shared a laugh, which faded out into silence.

"You promise you won't forget, Gendo?"

The man smiled, though she couldn't see it. "I would rather die than do so."

* * *

For the next 18 years, Gendo ran NERV as he had Gehirn. Though most of his time was spent on their island headquarters reviewing reports of activity from Keel and other threats, he always managed to make it back home to spend time with Yui. His wife had become close friends with Ritsuko Akagi while he was away, and the two of them along with Kyoko would spend their afternoons together gossiping or watching late-night movies. Gendo had made a new acquaintance as well in Kozo Fuyutsuki, a retired Secret Police Officer from Johto who had helped ease him back into the leadership role.

Gendo never spoke of Keel by name that much, only referring to him in a collective sense with his accomplices. Not long after Gendo had made himself comfortable at NERV, they had received an encrypted message from an unknown source that issued a declaration of war. Calling themselves Seele, the Soul of the One True Serpent, Gendo knew that Keel was a part of them. It wasn't long until NERV had uncovered their recruitment process: they held fights to the death in Black Market rings, with only the strongest fighters and Pokemon being granted permission into their ranks. Two young and upcoming agents in NERV, Misato Katsuragi and Ryoji Kaji, volunteered to risk their lives and infiltrate Seele as sleeper agents and gradually gain access to the entirety of their operation. Their mission had become a great success; they had become Lilith and Adam, the two highest ranking officers in a short amount of time, and managed to pass over a profile library back to NERV that contained images of every other ranking Seele officer.

Most of the other officers, called Angels, were once brutish street thugs, hackers, or serial killers brought together under the promise of power and revenge against society. Their true faces were hidden under nightmarish masks, making them all unrecognizable.

Except for one.

His black reptilian face and armor had given away his identity immediately to Gendo.

Keel… _No. _He was gone now. In his place was _Bardiel. _It seemed he had become so injured at that battle in the bay that he had adopted the armor from his schematic as a sort of iron casing to keep himself alive. Now, he was more man than machine. what confused Gendo the most was his rank. He was only the 13th Angel, not the 1st; that had gone to Misato. Was he pulling the strings from a lower position, to avoid suspicion? Or did a higher power share his beliefs and recruit him? It wouldn't be until years later that he would know the truth.

As the world grew more dangerous, with reports of Seele purchasing weapons and rare metals from around the globe, Gendo began to worry about his family's safety. In 2001, he and Yui had their first child, around the same time that Kyoko did with a man none of them ever came to meet. Gradually, he began to see and contact Yui less and less. If Seele was ever to find them and take them away from him, Gendo would no longer have the will to live. He knew Yui would resent him for it, but separating himself from them was his best option.

Still, he could not live without Yui.

One night in Yui's sleep, shortly before leaving for good, he drew a small sample of blood from her finger and took it back to base. He had uncovered Bardiel's last gift to him: the briefcase with the near-perfect sequence to the human genome contained inside. All the files and technology needed were at the labs of Gehirn, still situated underground as a relic of their research. Before the total shutdown of the institution, Gendo had pleaded that they were kept intact as a resource for science; thankfully the government had granted his request. Taking with him the briefcase and some of his former colleagues, he was granted permission to acquire the labs as property of NERV through orders issued by the Secret Police headquarters.

There, he made history.

After countless failed attempts, he had cloned the first human being. The little girl looked so much like Yui to Gendo, and it was perfect. But, no matter how hard he tried, he could never come to calling her Yui. He settled with Rei, the name Shinji would have been given if he had been a girl. He made her a Pokemon, a Ralts, and brought her back to NERV. Officially, she was documented as an orphan to avoid controversy. Only Gendo and Rei herself knew the truth.

With the ruins of Gehirn now a part of NERV, only one thing remained to acquire before all of Gendo's attention could return to stopping Seele. He travelled to Kanto in 2005 to find Cinnabar Island destroyed by volcanic activity, with its former residents long gone. An old colleague of his, the former Gym leader holding his residence on a nearby island, told him that their creation was in the hands of the world's strongest trainer known only as Red. Gendo met the young boy and his Pikachu in Pallet Town, and explained to him the man-made Pokemon's history. Red seemed fascinated by the story, and after much thought returned the Pokemon back to Gendo.

The Pokemon still had a malevolent disposition, but over time Gendo began to warm up to the beast and tried his best to teach it compassion. It was the first Pokemon Gendo had ever called his own, and he could tell it was like no other Pokemon of this world. It was power incarnate, and had the potential to reach an even higher level through Mega Evolution, the mysterious transformation that was achieved only between trainers and Pokemon with an unbreakable bond. Fuyutsuki had attained it with his Metagross years ago, and with the help of another assisted Gendo in reaching that bond with the Pokemon. Unfortunately, though he and the Pokemon were close, something was preventing them from obtaining Mega Evolution.

As he trained with his Pokemon and fought the battles against Seele, there was one thing Gendo never forgot. And when it came time to transport Artifact 316 from Ritsuko Akagi's residence back to him in 2015, there was only one person in mind he wanted to do it. He had heard about him from Ritsuko's rare reports back to base, but Gendo knew that he had the potential to succeed.

And though he could never express his emotions outright, he was prouder than ever to hear that his son would be helping him in defeating Bardiel, no matter how menial his part may be.

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_Back To The Future!_

_Our Heroes Retrun!_


	30. Stage 30: Tear You Apart

_**Last update of the year guys! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season, and are looking forward to an amazing 2016. I have big plans for the story coming into the new year, so stay tuned for some awesome shit!**_

* * *

Zeruel approached the entrance to the med bay. The sound of flying sparks and cutting of metal escaped through the walls, and could be heard from most other parts of the ship; being so close to them nearly made Zeruel's ears want to bleed. He would have to suffer through that, and soon more as he pounded a heavy fist on the iron door. The noise ceased slowly with the whirring of a saw drawing out the moment.

"…Who is it?" Iruel's voice asked from the other side.

"Zeruel. I assume Bardiel is in there."

"Can you not see that I am busy with him, no? His wounds will be patched up shortly, so come back another time, yes?"

Slimy kiss-ass. Zeruel wanted to squish that miniscule little scientist between his fingers for how he always hid behind Bardiel. Disregarding Iruel's proposal, he decided to speak to the man directly and get this over with. "I know you can hear me, Baridel, I come to report that Tabris has escorted Gendo Ikari to his quarters."

The clunking of metal, followed by deep asthmatic coughing followed. Iruel's voice could be heard asking the patient to not stand so he could finish the procedure; those demands were to go unanswered. The door opened, revealing a very different looking Bardiel. Parts of his armor were hanging off, with his black parts mixed in with newer, shinier ones. His helmet was quite different, with a long protruding spike from its top and two rows of multiple beady red optics laid within four separate crevices. Though there was no apparent mouth the Angel could still speak, much to Zeruel's disappointment.

Coughing again, Bardiel looked up at the larger Angel. "There were no issues?"

"None," Zeruel quickly changed the subject, "I didn't think machines could cough."

If he could, Bardiel would've spit in his face. "Unfortunately, I have not yet rid myself of all my fleshy parts. Trying to shift my soul into one of these EVAs was impossible for me. Too many complications, and so on. Was better just to keep my vital organs and fuse the suit with my body. But, they will be gone soon enough."

Zeruel did not expect such an info-dump from him. He was usually secretive about things. It seemed beneficial to pry more out of him. "Why the change in aesthetics?"

"My previous armor is far too primitive compared to the current EVA drones we use. The blades were nice, but that was all I had going for me. This…" pausing to cough, "Is the Mark 09 armor. The pinnacle of the EVA series. It is durable enough to survive even the strongest of military firepower and Pokemon attacks. I won't be needing repairs any time soon after it's completely equipped… It's not like you to be so inquisitive, Zeruel."

"The situation demanded the query."

"Yes, sure it did… Regardless, you did well on your mission. The streets burn brightly because of you and your squadron's handiwork."

Zeruel paused, looking at the missing spot on his belt. "We did not all return back."

"What are you talking about? You and Tabris were the only Angels left on foot in the city. The EVA drones do not count as casualties."

"My Golurk was lost in battle because of one of those children's Pokemon," Zeruel tightened his fists, his voice growing noticeably louder, "It was my first and only true comrade from before joining Seele; your test-tube Regigigas means nowhere near as much to me as he did."

Badiel shook his head, clearly annoyed. "This is fucking _war_, Zeruel. Lives our lost, but in return we take them. You'll get your chance to do so soon enough."

"Another assault?"

"Not one led by us. NERV will come for their leader eventually, and we'll be ready to slaughter them all. Hold your anger off until then, got it?"

"...Answer me this." The large Angel took a step closer to Bardiel, looking down on him as if he were an insect. "Who is truly in charge here?"

Dammit. He knew the truth. Bardiel shifted aside, casually adjusting a piece of loose armor like nothing was up. "Clarify that for me."

"There is no Supreme Commander, is there? You and Iruel have been up to something from the very moment I met you those many years ago. I was the third recruit to Seele, after you both. And yet, I never heard the Supreme Commander's voice until there were many more of us, and rarely were you ever around at the same time when he spoke."

A tense stare-down, followed by Bardiel raising his hands in defeat. "You got me, you got me. I should have realized you would have figured it out. Most of the other Angels are too stupid or didn't give a shit to question orders, and those two NERV spies were probably busy just relaying info back to Ikari to suspect anything."

"So you and Iruel-

"That 'Supreme Commander' is just an automated computer program. Nothing more, nothing less. _I'm_ the one in charge; Iruel is along for the ride and he knows it. He just wants to be promised a place in the new world after I get what I want."

Zeruel's hand gripped Bardiel's neck and slammed him into the wall. "So we have been your pawns to help you shove a dagger through a supposed God's heart?!"

Wheezing, Bardiel's fingers writhed at Zeruel's, trying to loosen his hold. "That… is putting it harshly."

The larger Angel let go, leaving Bardiel in another coughing fit. "Then what is it exactly?"

"The majority of you were to be sacrificed for the greater good. That is still the case. However, you are clearly not among them. At first, I wanted to kill you like I did Sachiel, but I've recently had a change of heart."

"I'm flattered." Zeruel added, with bitter sarcasm.

"You see, you are perhaps the most capable fighter of all the Angels, aside from myself of course. You have potential. And now that you know the truth, I can give you the same proposal I gave Iruel: Help me take God's throne, and you will find true bliss in this world. Whatever your heart desires, I will grant it. Submitting to me in exchange for that is nothing more than a minor statement of devotion. So, what'll it be?

Zeruel stared him down with cold eyes. He despised every inch of this man's being, and submitting to his command was nothing short of disgusting. Yet, he did not doubt his capabilities. Though a most detestable man, Bardiel had held true to his word in achieving the impossibility of razing Hoatzin City to the ground. Killing God did not seem too far from his reach.

"As long as I am able to exact my revenge, then I will assist you. After that, it may become a different story altogether."

"Excellent!" Bardiel clapped his hands together, "Now, go and check on Ikari for me. Take Tabris' place and keep him company until I arrive. I can't have him seeing me in such a mangled condition."

As the door hissed shut, Bardiel groaned and sat down heavily on Iruel's repair table. The scientist returned to his work immediately, finishing the fitting of one of Bardiel's new shoulder pylons.

"You still plan on killing him, yes?" Iruel asked, seemingly too into his work to care about the answer.

"Oh, of course. Just not as soon as I had expected. He'll be useful enough."

"And the others?"

"The MP series is complete, right?"

"Almost. A week's work should do the trick, yes."

Bardiel grinned, laying back on the table. "Then our fellow Angels will begin their ascension sooner than they think."

* * *

There were many roads leading out of Hoatzin City. The highway was the most travelled, and now in the city's final hours it was a scene straight out of an apocalypse movie. Cars and trucks were parked motionless, surrounded by fire and smoking remains. Seele had been sure to purge any fleeing citizens, sending gunships to open fire on the narrow roadways. EVA units walked between the lanes of broken cars hunting for survivors, occasionally firing shots into bodies for good measure.

In the search for survivors, Seele had been ignorant to the roads less travelled. The far end of the city laid directly on the border of the large forest expanse lining the coast of Lake Hoatzin, and was home to many small communities similar to Rhea Village connected to the metropolis by backwoods dirt roads. Refugees had flocked to them for shelter, with the natives more than happy to provide them with it. The limited space, however, was a problem that became unavoidable. Many town were starting to restrict late-comers, leading to confrontations at some. By dawn of the next day, the National Guard was finally arriving to bring assistance to the displaced, while concurrently setting up resistance against the Seele forces. Gunfire broke out between soldiers and EVA drones, with both sides holding equal footing. It was the first time true war had been felt in the Avia region, and the first one the world over had seen in years.

Two days after the attack, Shinji and Lucario stood watching Misato help the National Guard in distributing relief packages to the refugees. The woman certainly didn't look like the experienced espionage expert, smiling to the small children who thanked her for her kindness. Her Empoleon Pen-Pen did his best to help out too, using his metal wings to cut open the securely taped boxes on the loading truck.

'**The things humanity is capable of,'** Lucario smiled, with a hint of remorse, **'One group can lay waste to a city with their weaponry, and another can demonstrate pure compassion to their brothers and sisters. What do you think, Shinji?'**

The boy nodded, looking half at the ground and half at his Pokemon. No matter how optimistic he tried to be, the visions of Seele's violent attack could not escape his mind. The screaming, the fire, the bodies; those sights would haunt him forever. He couldn't bring himself to talk to Rei; he knew there was nothing he could say to possibly console her pain in losing Altaria.

The worst part was his father. Shinji didn't know if he was dead or in Seele's hands. Yes, he didn't know him very well. But it felt wrong not to feel worried about him. He had carried the Azure Flute for him, and now that Seele had it, Shinji knew he had to get it back.

"You said it, buddy. Come on, let's go find the others."

Shinji had started training with Lucario and Skidoo again after settling in at this particular village. Toji and Kensuke were eager to help out, wanting to get back at Seele for what they had done. In one day, they had done at least three days' worth of battling, their Pokemon putting in their all to get stronger. And the results paid off: Skidoo had evolved into the bigger and imposing Gogoat after only a few bouts with Beedrill, learning powerful moves like Horn Leech and Earthquake. His stronger form also benefited Toji's Dewott and Kensuke's Ivysaur, allowing them to reach their final forms of Samurott and Venusaur, respectively. Lucario had excelled against all of them, gaining valuable techniques like Close Combat and Extreme Speed.

Following a small path into the woods, Shinji came across Toji and Kensuke with their Pokemon, taking a short lunch break with Kaji and his Scizor. "Hows it going, guys?"

"Hey, Prof.," Toji smacked the rock beside him, issuing Ikari's sitting place, "Still slackin' off?"

"We can't train 24/7, Toji," Shinji knelt down, taking a plate from Kaji, "That would kill us all."

"He probably went off looking for the girls again," Kensuke said, taking a bite out of an apple, "Not having a girl at his side shatters his masculinity."

"Or da Prof. just misses his _girlfriend_… Or _girlfriends_… Which one of them is it again, Ikari?"

"C-Come on! What is up with you guys?"

From atop his ledge, Kaji couldn't help but chuckle. "Hey, hey. Nothing wrong with being single, boys. Sometimes a man needs to be alone to realize what he really wants. You'll see it my way eventually… Still," he narrowed his tone, looking at Shinji, "Might want to check up on Rei, though. She hasn't said a word to anyone since we left the city. Not even me or Katsuragi."

Shinji turned his eyes, trying to avoid the topic. "What about Asuka? I still don't get why she won't train with us."

"She's quite the independent one, from what I've seen of her. I think you know that too, Shinji. She's not the one who needs your help right now."

"I guess… I guess you're right. I'll find her later, when I can think of something to say."

"That's the spirit. Now, about that training."

Kaji hooped down to the ground, his Scizor following. He reached to the second Pokeball on his belt, and released its inhabitant. A jolt of electricity zig-zagged around the three boys before hovering to a stop by Kaji's head, a small orange dart grinning widely at them.

"I don't think any of you have met this guy yet. Let me introduce you to Rotom. He's a zany little fellow, let me tell you. And what I want your Pokemon to do is catch him."

With a nod from his trainer, the little Ghost-Electric type zipped off into the woods, leaving the boys and their Pokemon in shock of his speed. Kaji winked at them, and took a bite of his own apple.

"Good luck with that."

* * *

"_ONE! AND TWO! REPEAT!"_

Imagining a brick wall in front of them, Asuka and Blaziken stood under the heat of the afternoon sun doing their own kind of training. Unlike the boys, who would rather fight each other and level up their Pokemon, Asuka wanted to not just train her Pokemon but herself as well. Punching in synchronized sets with Blaziken was keeping her in tune with him both physically and mentally. She could feel the fire surrounding his punches and kicks, and the Fire-Fighting type could sense the passion and ambition within his trainer. To the girl, this was the only suitable way to train for what was to come.

She had to be strong. Just like her.

'**You're lookin' tired,'** Blaziken noted, seeing her stance beginning to wobble, **'Sure you don't want a break?'**

"Not until you need one," she answered, stumbling backwards as she tried a high standing kick. Blazkien caught her before she could fall. "How do you get your kicks that high?"

'**Well, anatomy is one thing.'** Seeing the girl was beginning to look a little faint, Blaziken picked up her canteen of water. **'Drink. You're not passing out on me.'**

"I don't need it."

'**Take it. Before it drips and touches me, or something.'**

Reluctantly, Asuka took the canteen. She let nearly all of its water flow down her throat before handing it back. Delicately, Blaziken took it between two claws and tossed it, jerking back as some water flew off its side. **'So much for you not needin' it.'**

"Whatever," Asuka pouted, flopping back onto the grass, "I can't rest too long. There's not much time to spare."

'**Ah, we don't even know when Seele's gonna do anything. Katsuragi didn't say tell us anything yet, so I don't see the point in being anxious about it. Just relax before you work yourself to death.'**

Asuka smirked up at her tall Pokemon. "Wow. Look who's getting lazy."

'**Not lazy: Laid back. Big difference. Besides, I've got enough training for today. Get back to the monster in disguise over there.'**

Her sly smile vanishing, Asuka looked to her other Pokeball containing Magikarp and all his uselessness. She had tried training with the flopping fish yesterday, but with seemingly no results. Her Pokégear had shown he had grown quite a few levels through just watching her and Blaziken, and her brief attempt at switch-training against another refugee trainer gave some success.

But something wasn't right. Magikarp were supposed to evolve at Level 20. Hers was at more than double that level, yet refused to evolve. It didn't seem to be the Pokemon's choice; he had shown her no signs of bitterness when out of his Pokeball. Granted, he never seemed to show any emotion, but Asuka could sense he wasn't unhappy. She had asked Misato and Kaji about it, and they had no clue as to what was wrong. Stupid Glasses girl had probably given her a defunct Magikarp, or at least one that had swallowed an Everstone…

"I don't feel like training with _him_ right now. He's probably still exhausted from his little amount of work he did yesterday."

Blaziken shrugged. **'Look, I know he's a Magikarp, but he's still a Pokemon. A **_**shit **_**Pokemon right now, but you do know what he evolves into, right?'**

"Why do you think I'm even trying to train the guy?!" Asuka paused, pondering something. "He is a _guy_ right?"

'**Now that you ask… Should we like check, or something?'**

"Ask him."

'_**What the hell?! You don't just ask somebody that!'**_

"_It's just a fish!"_

'**And I'm just a **_**big-ass chicken!**_** You don't see me goin' around asking humans to show me their genitals do ya?!'**

They shared a short, awkward glance.

"…That's enough training for today."

'**Ditto.'**

* * *

"Rei? Are you in there?"

The dark room absorbed Shinji's voice from the outside, melding it into the wooden walls so Rei could barely hear it. Laying on her bed with her face towards the ceiling, she remained in a sort of meditative state. The loss of Altaria continued to haunt her, visions of the dragon's brutal demise still replaying in her eyes. Gardevoir had been hurting as well, but displayed it more vividly through tears. The Pokemon was at rest in her Pokeball now, leaving the girl alone with her thoughts.

She could hear Shinji knocking, but ignored it. She saw no reason for him to be concerned. He had not lost someone. Staying completely still, she hoped he would leave. There was nothing for her to say to him, because she didn't know what to say.

"Well, uh, Lucario I just got done training with Toji and Kensuke's Pokemon. Kaji had them chase after his Rotom. Man, it got pretty crazy. That little lightning bolt can move! Toji's Beedrill managed to catch up to it first, so I guess it's going to gloat about that to Ski- I mean, _Gogoat_, for a while now…" He paused, probably waiting to see if she would answer.

"Anyways… I was told you were still in there, Rei. I just came to talk with you about stuff. Kaji… I thought you could use some company right now. You're going through a lot right now, and I just want to help you out somehow." He laughed nervously. "I know I couldn't possibly understand how exactly you're feeling right now, but I've been through some pretty hard times myself."

Rei blinked. This was sympathy. She had attempted it before with Asuka in Hoatzin City, at the park. It hadn't ended well for herself then.

It seemed Shinji had waited for a response, but continued on anyways. "I mean, you know about my father and all… It was tough growing up without one. No one to play catch with, or anything fun like that. Mom tried to, but it wasn't her kind of thing. It's probably why I suck at sports and that… And then there was the whole thing with Kaworu."

The Seele agent. Rei had never trusted him, but Shinji had.

"He was actually pretty nice, when you talked to him. A little weird, but he reminded me of you a lot. I think he's just confused, that's all. Seele taught him evil things, and its al he knows. I'm sure he could come to our side if I talked to him. I'd hate to lose a friend over something like this."

She could see what Shinji was trying to do: connect his distress with hers. Was it working? She was not sure, but realizing his intentions made her feel… comforted? It was a sensation Rei had not experienced until now.

"I know you lost your friend, too… We're all still sad about losing her. We didn't know Altaria like you did, but seeing you hurt and hiding away like this makes us even sadder. I know it may be a bit much to ask, but couldn't you come out of there? We want to help, Rei. All of us. Seele is going to pay for all the problems they've caused. We'll find my father, get Kaworu away from them, and show them what happens when you hurt one of our friends."

Letting the words sink in for a few moments, Rei sat up abruptly.

This was something new. She looked at her shaking hands, clenching them into fists in a slow, repeated sequence. Everything was hot. Her face, her chest, her sweating palms. It was getting hard to breathe, the shadows constricting her. She ran to the door, fumbling with the handle, hearing Shinji calling out for the others. She felt a force pull from the other side as she fell into the outside light and into Shinji's chest.

"…Rei?"

She was crying.

She sobbed into the boy's shirt, not knowing how to control this unfamiliar behavior. All of her recollections of Altaria passed her by, looping endlessly from their first meeting to their last words, assuring the girl that she could never share any more memories with the Pokemon.

All because of Seele.

That Angel, the hulking figure who stood behind the Golurk as it took away her friend, was responsible for this newfound pain. A strange itch in the back of her mind sparked an unseen fury in her heart: the urge to hurt him as much as he had hurt her. As Misato, Kaji, and the other children and their Pokemon gathered around to comfort her, she wept away her sorrows to conceal the revenge burning within her.

She had never wanted to kill another living being before.

That man would be the exception.

As Rei leaned into Misato, she could hear the sound of Kaji's phone going off. Wiping her eyes, she managed to calm herself briefly to see a grim expression grow on the man's face. He turned to the group, hanging up the line.

"Kaji…" Misato said, slowly letting her hand fall through Rei's hair, "How bad is it?"

"That was HQ… _Gaghiel_ wants to know where we hid the Lance."

* * *

_**Next Stage:**_

_Retaliation!_

_Gaghiel Sets The Bait!_


	31. Stage 31: Dark In The Water

**Happy (late) New Year everyone!**

* * *

The exact location of Nerv headquarters in the Tern Sea was known by few people outside of the organization; for any member of Seele to have found its location could only have been the work of a spy. Surrounded by rocky outcrops and raging waves, actually infiltrating the island base was a feat on its own. Only a former Team Aqua member like Gaghiel could have navigated those waters. From Misato and Kaji's studying of the Angel profiles, the sea-faring man had amassed a small armada of vigilantes and old comrades amongst the watery routes of Hoenn, and migrated to Avia after narrowly escaping capture by the Secret Police. Alone, he joined Seele to continue his criminal behavior with hopes of eventually restoring his own oceanic criminal syndicate.

Gaghiel had called Kaji back once more a few hours later, growing impatient as the Nerv agent began arranging an assault to take back their base. The following message was left on his phone:

"I have hostages here, you know… Every hour that passes will only lead to me wanting to start executing them one by one. You know what I want to know, and you know what will happen if you don't spill it… Don't make me resort to such messy actions."

By this time, the Secret Police had met the small infiltration group on the far shores of Lake Hoatzin, which was actually an inland extension of the Tern Sea. Six skipper boats would carry them plus additional backup to the base: Misato, Shinji, Asuka and Rei would ride in one, with Kaji, Toji and Kensuke in another. Appropriately, the children (aside from Ayanami) were slightly nervous about entering into a war skirmish, instead of just trying to escape one.

"Now, remember you three," Misato said, pointing to the floor, "Stay inside the boat until we reach the shore… or unless it's on fire. It's the safest place for you guys."

"How reassuring," Asuka rolled her eyes, "They'll probably shoot at us once we jump into the water, anyways. We're screwed either way."

"Remember: positive attitude, Asuka. Bad thoughts equal a bad time."

And besides," Shinji added, looking to Ayanami and Gardevoir, "Rei's going to have Gardevoir use Reflect in front of the boats to stop any of their attacks. I doubt any of them can penetrate through it."

Rei nodded her head slightly, as did her Pokemon.

"What _can't_ she do?" Asuka muttered before taking her leave, slamming the door to the lower deck behind her.

Misato sighed, taking slight pity on the girl. "Alright then… Rei, have Gardevoir get into position. Then you and Shinji go with Asuka and wait for my next command." The children nodded and filed out the door as she opened the hatch to the upper deck for Gardevoir. Her eyes returned to the door, her mind still on Asuka. She could see how rough it was for Asuka not being able to assist much in the situation and forcing the fruits of her training wait to be seen for another day. It was for the best though; her Blaziken was surely not suited for combat in an oceanic environment, and if Gaghiel was being extra cautious, would have Water-types under his control in the depths beneath their boats. If only she had managed to evolve her Magikarp…

The skipper was smacked by a small wave as Katsuragi's Pokegear received a call.

"We're close, aren't we?"

"HQ is in sight just up ahead," Kaji's voice stated from the other end, "My boat is going into the lead position, right behind the border of Gardevoir's barrier. We're going all the way up to the shore."

"Is that really a good idea to be so bold?" Misato narrowed her eyes, "They probably have EVA units ready to blow us away the moment we touch land."

"Nah, nothing to worry about. Gaghiel said its fine."

"_What?!"_ Misato yelled into the device, fuming, "Why the hell did you contact him back?!"

"He has hostages, so I struck him a deal. I'll meet him face-to-face if he promises not to execute anyone. Basic negotiations, you know?"

"_He'll shoot you in the head!"_

"So you _do_ care about me," the man replied cheekily.

"That's not - " Misato paused, pinching her brow. "…You're really stupid, you know that? It's the things like this that make me sick when we work together."

"I'll be fine, I'll be fine… I've always got a back-up plan. You know that."

Misato's fist clenched tighter than it already was. "Be careful."

"Nothing to worry about, Misato… See you soon."

The call ended with a beep. Misato looked out the cabin window, sitting down beside the skipper's pilot as she began feeling uneasy.

"Feeling alright, Colonel?" the pilot asked.

"Just a little seasick. Nothing to worry about."

* * *

Tugging at his white collar, Gaghiel looked over the twenty or so hostages leaning against the control systems of the communications bridge around him. All of them had surrendered their weapons and Pokemon to him and his troops and were spared from biting the bullet. Two of them, however, had put up quite a fight against him, taking out many EVA units with their Alakazam and Magneton before being surrounded and outnumbered. They sat separately from the rest, tied back to back. Gaghiel didn't trust them. They looked too keen. Probably two techies or something. They had to know something about the Lance's location.

The Angel signaled two EVA units, directing his hand towards the prisoners. "Watch them closely. Any of them moves their hand, fire a warning shot."

"You want to spare them?" A blue and white Class 0 EVA unit replied, puzzled.

"I don't break promises unless I have to. We already made enough of a mess out there, anyways." Approaching the two isolated prisoners, Gaghiel knelt down by the one with glasses. His large, jaw-like mask bumped the NERV agent on the forehead. "Dammit. Hate this stupid outfit." He leaned back, removing his mask and tossing it into the middle of the room, throwing his cape off immediately after it became entangled between his legs.

The captive Hyuga and Aoba were quite shocked at his actions. For being an elite agent of his organization, Gaghiel acted much differently than how other Angels had, according to their reports. He looked relatively normal underneath too, with a sharp goatee and shaved head. No massive scarring or disfigurements, which is what they imagined all the Angels looked like underneath their hellish mask.

Gaghiel raised an eyebrow at them. "What? Never seen a human face before?"

"Wasn't expecting to see one, honestly," Aoba shrugged, "I always assumed those masks were glued to you guys' faces."

"Funny. Now - if you couldn't already tell – I'm not like the rest of the Angels. I'm willing to be civil about things. I'd rather not end up with unnecessary blood on my hands. Not against killing, but I don't particularly enjoy it. I leave it to those hunks of metal over there."

"Then why would someone like you join Seele?" Hyuga asked with total honesty.

In the blink of an eye, a knife was being held at Hyuga's throat. "Never said this was a conversation, pal. Remember who's in charge here. _It ain't you."_

The Angel waited for a shaky nod in compliance.

"That's good. Now-

The door to the room slammed open as an EVA Unit hustled inside. "Sir! Our scanners have detected activity in the West Wing. It seems there is still a NERV operative hiding somewhere there."

Shigeru and Hyuga shared a quick glance. They had known Maya had stayed hidden in the communications bridge when they had left for battle, and was not here when they were herded in as hostages.

Before Gaghiel could answer, another EVA unit stepped forward. "Sir! The convoy carrying NERV operative Ryoji Kaji is approaching from the sea!"

"Shit…" the Angel cursed, rubbing his head. He stood up, pointing at three separate EVA units. "You watch the prisoners, you help them find the rat scurrying around the base, and you watch these two. I've got to go have a little chat with someone."

* * *

A bright light flashed down the corridor, the humming of the EVA unit's sensors breaking the silence. Spotting no signs of activity, he moved on after one last look. Several moments passed before two figures, one human and the other a feline, darted across the stretch of dimly lit hallway and down another.

"That one was too close, Persian," Maya breathed a sigh of relief, her cat-like Pokemon running at her side. Having a Pokemon like Persian was excellent for situations like this, though it was not the reason Ibuki had caught the Pokemon years ago. She was a cat lover, not an espionage lover!

Stopping abruptly at the sound of metal footsteps, Maya and her Persian slid into a small outcrop in the wall. The EVA units seemed more congregated in this spot, which was (of course!) where she had to be.

In a reply to her distress message sent out two days ago, Kaji had informed her that a small group led by him and Misato were returning to re-take NERV HQ in a matter of hours. Having kept herself hidden in an emergency bunker, Maya jumped into action upon receiving the text message telling her to go to the Security Center in the West Wing. Upon reaching there, she was told to enter the code that would activate an EMP frequency created for disrupting any sort of alien electrical engine or device in a two mile radius of the base. Initially installed to prevent enemy drones, submersibles or aircraft from tapping into NERV radio waves, Kaji predicted that it may have a nasty effect on any EVA units within its area once activated, scrambling their circuits long enough for them to be taken down.

"Its right up ahead, Persian," Maya whispered, bending down to the Pokemon's ear. Hesitating about giving the command to send her friend into such a dangerous situation, she realized there was no other option for her. "There's six of those robots out there… Think you can bring some of them down? I can get the rest with my gun."

The cat nodded. **'Okay, but you haven't used your gun in a while. Are you sure?'**

"Positive. We have to do this for everybody. Whenever you're ready… Strike."

Rubbing up against Maya for good luck, Persian slunk into the hallway. Keeping close to the dark floor, she maneuvered around the flashing lights of the EVA units, her paws lighter than a feather. With one of the robots in front of her, she extended her sharp claws which grew a pitch black color and pounced.

"_SHEEAGH-!"_

One EVA went down, the Night Slash having shredded through its armor lengthways. The other units turned and aimed, surprised to see nothing in front of them. As that happened, one standing in the back was brought down by decapitation.

"_Fire at will!" _

Persian dodged the random, messy gunfire, hoping that Maya would provide support soon. And soon she did, as another EVA went down from a headshot. Ibuki grinned at her own accomplishment, but quickly ducked back as gunfire came her way. Persian soon removed another EVA, but was caught in another's sight as she tried to retreat. Her painful yelp struck Maya in the heart.

"_PERSIAN!"_

Running into the hall with full fire, she unloaded all her rounds into the last two EVA units, leaping over their bullet-hole ridden bodies to her wounded Pokemon. The cat had taken a shot the ribs, and was breathing heavily.

"I'm so sorry…. I'm so sorry..." Maya hugged her Pokemon, who licked her face in comfort.

'**Its alright, Maya… I'm just glad you're safe. You did good."**

Quickly taking off her over shirt, Maya wrapped it around the Pokemon's torso tightly before spraying the wound with a Hyper Potion. The medicine would be enough for now, but if she didn't get Persian treated soon enough, it would get much worse.

"Get some rest for now, okay?" Maya returned the cat to her Pokeball, kissing the sphere, "We'll get through this."

Walking up to the open room, Maya could see the computer where she was to enter the EMP code. Approaching it, she quickly accessed the input screen, and carefully typed in the exact characters for activation.

And then she was pulled to the ground.

Screaming, she looked to her lower leg to see the upper half of an EVA unit holding on to her, scrambling to grab hold of her neck and head. She kicked at its cranium, but its grip was too strong to escape. Maya reached up for the keyboard desperately as the robot's clawed hands reached her back. The ENTER key never so far away than it was now…

* * *

The bow of the skipper lurched onto the rocky shore. Stepping onto the deck of the vessel, Kaji took notice of the small company awaiting him on the open port. Four EVA units, all heavily armed with blaster rifles, stood in a row with their weapons aimed at the small fleet. Their leader was briskly walking from behind, having rushed from somewhere deep in HQ to make it on time for their 'chat'. The lack of a mask piqued Kaji's interest, but it wasn't something to think about right now. Business had to be done.

"Ya got this under control, right?" Toji poked his head out from the cabin window, "We can back ya up if ya want it."

Kaji winked at the boy. "I think I've got this one. Just stay in the boat for now; if anything goes wrong, you know I have backup."

With one last look at the EVA units, Suzuhara vanished back into the cabin. Kaji warily made his way up the rocky shore, his eyes searching amongst the rocks for any sort of trap Gaghiel may have hidden. Soon enough, he was on the same level as the Angel and his troops. "I take it the hostages are unharmed?"

"Yeah," Gaghiel nodded, "Promises are promises. So fess up."

"Not one for small chat, aren't you?" Kaji said, taking a step forward. Immediately an EVA unit pointed its rifle at him. Gaghiel quickly put his hand on the gun, slowly pushing it down.

"Weapons down. Don't shoot unless they actually give us a reason to," Gaghiel looked back to Kaji, "Sorry about that. It's in their programming. Iruel made them pretty ruthless, but I'm pretty sure you know _all_ about that don't you, _Adam?"_

Kaji shrugged. "Just had to do my job. Unfortunately, hacking into Seele's databases gave us access to who you Angels really are behind those masks. Seems you have no problem with showing your face."

"I'm already a wanted man. I've got nothing to hide, unlike my colleagues."

'_Perfect,'_ Kaji thought, having found some ground to stall on. He needed to drag this out, lower the tension until his help from the inside could complete their task. "So… Mind if I call you _Morgan?"_

The Angel narrowed his eyes. "…What do you think that would accomplish?"

"Just trying to find some commonplace here. I've got nothing to hide, and neither should you. It's the reason we're meeting right now, isn't it?"

Gaghiel paused for a moment, studying the man before him. Ryoji Kaji looked like an unkempt fellow, but his deceptiveness was not to be taken lightly. He had infiltrated Seele as a top agent for at least 10 years, give or take. The Angel knew better than to fall into one of his traps, and was prepared to tread lightly. "I guess it is, Ryoji. Now, about the Lance-

"Actually," Kaji raised a finger to stop him, "There's something I want first. Actually, a couple of things."

"I don't remember _that_ being part of the deal."

"How can we make a deal if only one side benefits? It's not like I'm asking for big favors. Only small ones that equal in weight as for what you're asking for. It only makes sense, right?"

"Whatever," Gaghiel sighed, unable to argue his logic without violence, "Then what do you want?"

"Have your EVA units drop their weapons, first off. I'm getting a bit anxious with all those guns pointed at me."

"Not before you tell me what else you want."

"Jeesh," Kaji scratched his head to hide his agitation, "You strike a hard bargain… Alright then. So, you guys captured Commander Ikari in Hoatzin City, right?"

"…Yes. From what I've been told, he's still alive. Can't say about unharmed."

"Good, good… Now, I want you to tell me exactly what you plan to do with the Lance of the Renegade once you have it."

Gaghiel stared Kaji straight in the eyes, very intrigued. Only a few Angels knew about Bringing Time, the codename for Seele's ultimate goal. He had always assumed that Kaji and his accomplice had known its details, so this demand felt out of left field. Were the details not stored away within Seele's databanks for some reason? Was it only known by word of mouth, and told to a select few? Gaghiel sure as hell didn't know everything it pertained to, except for the bare basics.

"Isn't it obvious?" Gaghiel laughed, hiding his ignorance, "The Lance was made to strike down God and nullify his power. What else would we use it for? Javelin practice?"

"That's what I figured you guys would do with it, unfortunately," Kaji nodded, "But what about after that happens?"

"Come again?"

"Sure, you guys take down God and everything. Then what? What will you accomplish after that? A new world order? Anarchy? Genocide? Or haven't you been told yet?"

Gaghiel stood silently , allowing Kaji to continue.

"Damn, Morgan… Must be terrible to realize that you've been fighting for something, and you don't even know what that something is. Hell, you might not even be in the picture for what your superior wants in the end. You could just be another loose end that needs to be severed… Really makes you question whether you want the Lance or not, doesn't it?"

The Angel sighed, pacing back and forth in front of his EVA units. This man was right about a few things, but he surely did not know everything about his motivations.

"Those are pretty impressive words, Kaji. Anyone who wasn't one of us would probably be swayed by them. I'm not lying about that. But I don't think you understand why I am a member of Seele." Gaghiel stopped, tugging on his white button-up shirt with his team's insignia embroidered in red over his heart. "I wear this symbol as a representation of what I've lost. Not for some grand scheme, but to show I have to exact my revenge on God. Long before I joined Seele, I lost my family because of God. He took them away from me in a fire, so I ran to the sea to escape his flames. I met the love of my life there… And yet she was taken away from me by _Him!_ Not by fire, but by my fellow man! _His_ creations gunned her down for no reason other than to make me suffer!"

Kaji could see he was growing visibly upset. The situation was spiraling out of his favor. He needed to calm him before it grew any worse. "You can't blame God for the actions of others-

"_Then who can I?!_ I killed them, and I was still angry! I found Team Aqua, and I hoped we could flood the world and wipe out scum like them! And after they were thwarted by a _mere child_, I found Seele! They promised more! They were willing to take lives, to do the impossible! And that's what we're doing now!"

Pausing to breathe, Gaghiel glared at the ships behind Kaji. The EVA units noticed, and raised their weapons at Kaji.

Negotiations were over.

"But now, Ryoji Kaji… You're in our way. You're _all_ in our way."

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_Firefight!_

_NERV Needs A Miracle!_


	32. Stage 32: Rage Against the Machine

"_Open fire!" _

The volley of gunfire erupted towards Kaji and the skippers. Taking a shot to the shoulder, Kaji leapt behind a nearby crate and quickly crawled back down the rocky shore. Without his command, Scizor released himself from his Pokéball to assist his wounded trainer.

"I'd say the negotiations didn't work," the man winced, gripping his shoulder, "What do you think?"

'**I say it is time to fight,'** the iron bug replied, looking back behind them, **'They are approaching fast. Must be coming after us.'**

"Then you know what to do."

Vibrating his wings at rapid speed, Scizor propelled himself off the ground with a sharp kick. As his Pokemon flew overhead, Kaji reached into his shirt, pulling out a necklace with a rainbow keystone embedded within it. He placed his finger over the stone, creating a simultaneous reaction of energy around Scizor's body. As the energy dissolved with a small boom, the iron mantis had changed appearance. A dark, secondary crest sat above his eyes, and his pinchers now resembled chainsaws rather than vices.

"_Torch that bug!" _The captain of the EVA units aimed up at the Mega evolved Pokemon, but was sent flying by a huge gush of water. Leaping up onto the dock, Toji's Samurott unsheathed the blades on his arms and sliced a nearby drone in half. Beedrill darted behind him, hastily dodging the EVA's shots. Scizor leapt in front of it to take incoming fire, the bullets unable to pierce his iron exoskeleton.

'**I'll cover you,'** Scizor pointed at Gaghiel, **'He must be restrained.'**

'_**On it!'**_ the Water type nodded. Sliding across the dock by projecting fast-flowing water from his paws, Samurott weaved between the EVA units and towards Gaghiel. However, the Angel was prepared. Unnoticed by the Pokemon, he had pulled a narrow device from his belt. He extended the electro-baton as soon as the Pokemon was in range, and struck.

'_**GHAAGH!'**_ Samurott tripped and slid, convulsing from the sudden electric shock he had taken to the chest. The Angel knelt by the Pokemon, jabbing him again with satisfaction.

"Living on the sea surrounded by Water types is a tough life," Gaghiel explained, "So what better way to keep them away than with a jolt of electricity?" He struck Samurott again, making sure the Pokemon was knocked out. _"You_ certainly prove my point… And so will _you!"_

Spinning around, Gaghiel was face to face with Beedrill, who was attempting a sneak attack. Shocked, the wasp was too taken off guard to dodge the electro-baton.

'_**ZZZZHHHAAA!' **_Much frailer than his comrade, Beedrill fell beside him, defeated by one strike. Gaghiel stood over the two, quite happy with himself;

"Pathetic. Whoever is your trainer should be ashamed of themselves."

The trainer in question was being restrained from charging off his skipper by two soldiers. "Lemme go!" Toji shouted at the men, "Those are my Pokemon up there! I gotta help 'em!"

"It's not safe, kid! We'll get them out of there! Just stay on the boat-

_*BOOM!*_

The skipper a few meters beside the three flew out of the water and into the air, landing a dozen yards away and capsized. Something had blown up the hull from below! Toji and the two soldiers scurried onto the shore, taking cover behind some rocks, with Kensuke running through the shallow water after them.

"_I like action movies, but this is ridiculous!" _the spectacled boy yelled frantically as the skipper behind him was also sent flying. Two boats over, Misato dashed to the window, peering beneath the waves.

"_What the hell is going on?!"_

From underneath the water, two red lights could be seen. They were the optics of a pair of EVA units, swimming underneath the water and armed with explosives. Gaghiel had them enter the sea the moment he had known NERV was on their way, and were only to take action if things went violent.

Sensing the direness of the situation, Misato slammed open the door to the passenger's room where Shinji, Lucario and Rei were already on the other side, ready to run out. "Misato! What's-

"Get off the boat! Hurry! _GO!"_

Letting the three pass, Misato's stomach dropped when she didn't see Asuka. The hatch to the lower level was left slightly open, the girl apparently taking refuge in there. "Asuka! Get up here! We gotta go!"

"_I'm coming, I'm coming!"_ the girl yelled up, the top of her hair peeking up from the hatch. With a small jump, she pulled herself up to see Misato had already ran to the upper deck. Following the path the woman had, Asuka could see that Shinji ,Lucario, Rei and Misato had already started swimming towards the shore. Gardevoir was gone as well, most likely in her Pokéball with Ayanami, meaning there was no shielding Asuka from incoming fire. She yelped as a stray shot struck the deck beside her, falling down to take cover. She began to reach for Blaziken's Pokéball on her belt, but her hand froze when she felt something rumble from beneath her.

The next moment she felt herself flying, and everything went black the moment her back struck the water.

"_Asuka!" _Shinji shrieked in horror as the burning boat flipped into the air and the body of his friend plummeted into the water yards away. Misato quickly wrapped her arm around his chest, stopping him from swimming back for Asuka. _"Asuka, no!"_

"_There's no time!" _Misato flipped the boy around, meeting him face to face,_ "We'll come back for her! Get to the shore!"_

"_ASUKA!"_

"_Do what I say! MOVE!"_

Shinji could no longer hear Misato over the deafening ringing in his ears. He refused to move. He couldn't move. This was different than Hoatzin City. There was nowhere to run this time. They were dead in the water, surrounded on all sides by the enemy.

"_Shinji! Shinji!"_ Shaking the boy, Misato shot a look at Rei from over her shoulder. The girl was already on the shore, moving the wet hair from her eyes. Lucario was beside her, ready to dive back in to check on his trainer. "I've got Shinji! You two go help Kaji!"

Sharign a brief look with each other, Rei and Lucario nodded and ran up the rocks towards the skirmish. As the last skipper was engulfed in an explosion, Misato reached underwater and released Pen-Pen from his Pokeball. She climbed on the iron penguin's back with Shinji as it surfaced. "Did you see Asuka under there?"

The Empoleon shook his head. **'Only two robots. They're coming this way, too.'**

Misato bit her lip, cradling the stunned Shinji. If Kaji really did have a back-up plan, then he better use it pretty damn soon…

* * *

Twirling his electro-baton, Gaghiel approached Kaji and his Scizor with a grin on his face. From behind the Angel, more EVA units were pouring out from within the halls of the base. A small squad surrounded the prone bodies of Samurott and Beedrill, aiming their weapons at the defenseless Pokemon. With the man and his iron mantis completely outnumbered, Gaghiel had reason to be smiling.

"Still up for negotiations?" the Angel said, pointing his weapon at the pair, "Or will I have to get rid of everyone down there before you tell me where the Lance is at?"

"And to think I almost felt sorry for you after your story," Kaji smirked with confidence, "But it seems that you really do belong with Seele. You know why?"

"Flatter me."

"Because you're just as naïve as the rest of them!"

Kaji's watch erupted in a shower of blue sparks. Before Gaghiel could react, a jolt of orange electricity entered his electro-baton, overloading it with power. The weapon exploded in his face, creating a cover of smoke for Kaji and Scizor to make their escape. From the smoke, the jolt shot back towards Kaji, zipping around him and giggling.

"Good work, Rotom," the man nodded, "He walked right into that one."

'**But Suzuhara's companions are still up there,'** Scizor added, **'Shall I go retrieve them?'**

Kaji could see Rei and Lucario climbing up the hill from behind his Pokemon, making their way up towards the EVAs and Gaghiel. "Go ahead and help them out. You too, Rotom." Watching his Pokemon return to battle, Kaji began to realize that Maya was taking much longer to activate the EMP burst than she should have. Had she been caught before reaching it?

"_Kaji!"_

Misato was calling up to him from the shore. Stumbling over a large rock, Kaji landed on the sand, his arm shaking just enough to re-open the wound on his arm. Wincing, he ran over to Katsuragi, who was tending to the still shell-shocked Shinji. "Is he okay? Where's Asuka?"

"He saw her fly off our skipper when it exploded. There's EVA units in the water; Pen-Pen's fighting them as we speak, then he's going after Asuka."

"How long's she been under?"

"She's going to be fine, Kaji."

"Misato…"

"_Kaji!"_ The woman snapped and glared at him, her eyes darting towards Shinji for a moment to tell Kaji to stop being realistic. _"She's going to be fine."_

"I get it, I get it," he raised his hands in defense as Misato pulled out her gun, "You're going up there?"

"And you're staying here with him. You're hurt."

The man tapped his shoulder. "A kiss before you go?"

Groaning, the woman walked back over to him and pecked him on the lips, much to his surprise. "…There. _Happy?"_

"I meant on the shoulder, but that works too."

Misato blushed a deep red, punching Kaji in the shoulder before climbing up the rocks to the battle. Rubbing his wound, Kaji sighed and knelt down beside Shinji, looking out towards the water with a sinking feeling in his gut.

* * *

She could hear the fighting up above.

Gunfire, explosions, someone shouting for her.

From her half-opened eyes, Asuka could see Misato's Empoleon battling the two EVA units that must've blown up her boat. It had tried to dive down for her once or twice, but was pulled back into battle by the robots.

It didn't matter now.

Her skin was cold, shivering as she descended further and further into the murky depths. She had reached out with her hand, and never brought it back to her side. She was too weak… _too weak…_

Why did she have to be weak?

'_I don't wanna die…'_

'_**KARP!'**_

Something was trying to push on her back, something pointy. It was struggling to do so, saying its name quickly as if it would make him stronger. The fish had no chance of getting her to the surface.

'_I don't wanna die…'_

'_**KARP!'**_

No. She clenched her fist. Shinji was still up there.

Mama was watching her.

'_**KARP!'**_

'_I DON'T WANNA DIE!'_

A bright light shined from below her, and then she shot up through the water just as fast as she had fallen into it. She passed Pen-Pen and the EVA units, who looked on in shock and awe. With a humongous splash, she rose into the sky atop a blue platform with three large prongs in front of her. Shaking her soaked hair, she looked down at the serpentine shape of her once pathetic savior, then down at the many EVA units looking up at her from the docks. A mighty roar filled the air, as tears welled up in her eyes.

"So you really could evolve after all… _Gyarados!"_

The mighty Water serpent growled, its eyes looking upwards towards her. **'You trained with me, even though I was weak. I couldn't evolve earlier, for I still doubted that you needed me. But now, I can show you just how strong I've become against these savages! I will never let you down again, Asuka!'**

Gyarados roared once more, causing the EVA units below to stagger back. None of them had ever encountered such a ferociously massive opponent like this!

Seeing an opportunity, Lucario, Gardevoir, and the other battling Pokemon lunged at their frightened adversaries, taking many of them down before they could retaliate. The remaining EVAs raised their weapons at Gyarados, but were too frightened to pull the trigger.

"What the hell are you waiting for?!" Gaghiel shouted, pointing at the serpent, "Kill that monster!"

Not going to give them the chance, Gyarados opened his jaws as a large red beam began to form within. Asuka, now standing atop the beast, pointed down at the robots with a triumphant grin.

"_Gyarados! Hyper Beam!"_

A flash of white light was followed by a huge stream of red energy slamming into the EVA units at full power. Their metal bodies unable to repulse the powerful beam, the EVA units literally disintegrated upon contact with the powerful attack. Gyarados directed the beam across the entirety of their ranks until none were left standing.

"_No! NO!"_ Gaghiel pounded his fist into a nearby pole as he looked over the smoldering remains of his regiment. Blinded by his rage, he was unaware of the figure sneaking up behind him with a large piece of blunt metal. _"I can't lose to-_

_***BONK!***_

Rei stood over the Angel's unconscious body, dropping her metal bludgeon on his back. Gardevoir teleported beside her, placing her hand on her shoulder. **'Excellent work, my lady.'**

"Find us some rope. We should restrain him before-

Suddenly, the doors to the inside of HQ flew open once more, as Rei and the Pokemon were greeted by yet another regiment of EVA units ready for combat. A Captain unit, holding a glaive in one hand and a progressive knife in the other, stepped forward to take command. "Move away from Commander Gaghiel, NERV scum!"

A short distance away, Lucario snarled as he helped Scizor lift Samurott to his feet. **'I'm not sure we can take them all on in our weakened condition…'**

'**We fight to the last breath, comrade,'** the iron mantis replied, opening his pinchers for battle.

From atop Gyarados, Asuka grippe the center spike of his crown. "There's more of them already?! Blow 'em away!"

'I must recharge,' the serpent huffed, 'Hyper Beam takes quite a lot of energy from me.'

"They're gonna be kill- Wait! Look!"

The EVA Captian pointed his glaive at Rei, ready to jump at her. _"Time to di-i-i-i-!" _

His circuits scrambling, the Captain looked to his troops who had begun convulsing just like he was. He dropped his weapons as his hand forced itself into an open palm. _"Wh-wh-what's happening t-to us?!"_

The Captain never got an answer, as a bullet went straight through his singular eye. Misato stood smiling at the edge of the dock with the smoking gun in her hand. "An EMP blast… Kaji, you genius." She looked to Rei and the Pokemon and nodded. "Let's finish this everyone!"

* * *

A few hours later, and NERV HQ was back under its rightful ownership. The moment the EMP blast had activated and the EVA units were crippled, the hostage NERV personnel made their move and took them down with their own weapons. After being freed from their restraints, Hyuga and Shigeru led the expedition through the base to destroy any of the drones stationed randomly about. They found Maya in the Security Wing with half of an EVA unit motionless beside her; she had put a bullet in its head the moment it had loosened its grip on her leg. The three lieutenants reunited with Misato and Kaji, and were congratulated for their actions.

Gaghiel was locked away in the same room he had held Shigeru and Hyuga hostage in. The Angel refused to speak to anyone, and laid sulking in a corner muttering to himself. Eventually, he would be sent to prison once his organization was dispersed. For now, NERV would keep a personal eye on him.

Toji had not left his Pokemon's side since reunited with them after the battle. Feeling guilt for not being able to help them out, he stayed with them as NERV medics healed their wounds. Kensuke had tried to talk with him, but was turned away by his friend who wanted to be alone.

On the rocks outside, he sat quietly beside Asuka and Rei, who were watching Gyarados swim in the sea. The once pathetic Pokemon was overjoyed with his new form, and allowed Gardevoir to ride on his back as he raced Pen-Pen on an imaginary course. Gogoat and Venusaur were napping on the beach, letting their leaves soak in the setting sun. Blaziken stood high above the children, refusing to go anywhere near the water and still in denial that he had been under it while in his Pokeball.

"It's so weird having Toji sulking like that," Aida said, "He'd get a kick out of watching those guy's race. Samurott would definitely be down there with them."

"When you're friends get hurt, sometimes you just don't want to talk to anyone," Asuka replied quietly, "Even if you shouldn't worry so much about them because they can take care of themselves…"

Kensuke couldn't believe the girl's words. "You almost died out there, Asuka! Shinji has every right to worry about you."

"The why is he sitting inside with Lucario and not with us? He hasn't said a single thing to me ever since the battle ended!"

"He probably doesn't know what to say, Asuka. You didn't seem so in tune in Hoatzin City when we found you guys. He's probably just as shell-shocked as you were!"

"He doesn't need to be. I'm strong. I'm not going to die from something as pathetic as that."

"Death can happen to anyone," Rei interrupted, looking sternly at the two, "It will happen to all of us. It does not care how it happens, or how you wish for it to happen. It will take you away without a second thought. That is fact."

The girl stood and began climbing down the rocks without another word. Kensuke watched her descend, realizing that talking about death had struck a nerve in Rei. The spectacled boy stood up, stretching his arms. "I'm going back up to the base. You staying here Asuka?"

No response.

"Asuka?"

"What the hell is that?"

The girl pointed towards the sky. Kensuke followed her finger and soon saw the flapping black shape approaching the island. "Huh… That's strange." Taking off his backpack, he unzipped it and pulled out a pair of binoculars that Asuka promptly pulled from his grasp. "Hey!"

Ladies first, dweeb," Asuka chided, adjusting her sight. She focused on the approaching shape, its pitch black form gaining color as it approached. She instantly recognized the incoming Pokemon's grey body, purple wings, and large jaw as those of an ancient fossil Pokemon.

"That's an Aerodactyl!"

"What?!" Kensuke exclaimed with excitement, trying to take the binoculars back from Asuka who pushed him away, "Let me see it!"

"There's someone riding it! I'm trying to see who it is you- _NO."_

She dropped the binoculars, which had nearly bounced down to the beach below if Kensuke hadn't dived for them. "What the hell, Asuka?! These aren't yours you know- Um, Asuka? You okay?"

"Kill me. _Now."_

The most disgusted-looking expression Kensuke had ever seen sat on Asuka's face. The red-head's eyes were twitching as the person atop the Aerodactyl began waving at them, her ponytails blowing in the wind behind her.

"_Helloooo there, Princess~!"_

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_Training Time!_

_A Familiar Face Returns!_


	33. Stage 33: A New Level

It had taken Shinji a while to find somewhere to be alone. The room was tucked away in the deeper parts of NERV HQ in what seemed to be an abandoned wing, with most of the ceiling lighting either flickering or burnt out. The small space was just large enough for him, Lucario, and a few others to fit in, but the two of them were enough right now. The Pokemon stood leaning on the wall beside him, eyes closed in contemplation.

'…**You cannot stay in here forever, Shinji,'** the Pokemon's voice inside his head made Shinji jump slightly. They had not spoken to each other ever since Shinji closed the door**. 'Your friends are worried about you.'**

"I know they are."

'**I can sense your aura, Shinji. You have no reason to be afraid to face her.'**

Asuka.

"I couldn't help her, Lucario. I should have waited for her, but I ran-

'**You had reason to.'**

"_It's because I'm useless!"_

Shinji slammed his fist into the wall, panting. Lucario winced at the pain from his aura. He placed his paw on the boy's shoulder.

'**Do not say that.'**

"But it's true… What are we even _doing_ here, Lucario? We gave them the Azure Flute, and they lost it. We should have gone home right after that. It isn't our fight anymore. Asuka and I are only here because they can't get us back home. I don't want to be fighting in this war!"

'**But in the city, we fought the Regigigas and the Angels-**

"_Because we had to!_ Even back home when the first Angel attacked, we had no choice but to defend ourselves! We _still_ don't have a choice, and Asuka almost…"

The tears began to trickle down Shinji's face.

"…Father doesn't even care that I tried to help…"

His aura was becoming cloudy and black. Lucario could sense nothing but hollowness within him, and he knew not how to help. A Pokemon was meant to be there for their trainer. If he could not pull Shinji from this despair, would that make him a failure? What purpose would he have, if not that?

_*BEEP-BEEP*_

Shinji's Pokégear began to flash as a message came in. It was Misato. He didn't answer it.

*BEEP-BEEP*

He pondered answering, but took too long to decide.

*BEEP-BEEP*

He almost let the call cut off a third time, before deciding to answer it at the last moment.

"…Hey Misato."

"Where are you? Everyone's worried sick about you!"

"I'm with Lucario. I'm… I'm okay."

The woman went quiet for a moment. She was clearly concerned for him, but then why didn't she send him home?

"If you say so… But we've been waiting for you, you know. There's something important we need you for at the docks."

"…Why should I go?"

"Just come to the docks and you'll see. I promise it will be worth it."

The Pokégear went dark. Shinji looked to Lucario, who answered with a nod. They forgot to close the door as they retraced their steps back.

* * *

"So, how have things been, Princess?"

Asuka couldn't take her anymore. It had only been an hour, but she was ready to throttle Mari Illustrious Makinami and kick her into the ocean. The spectacled girl had not changed since the first time they had met, and yet her insufferableness had not changed. How could the others stand her? Ayanami was indifferent, as always. Kensuke was fawning over her. Suzuhara just seemed desperate to have her help him train and get stronger.

Of course, Asuka really doubted that she could teach her anything. Mari was too aloof to be any kind of a mentor. Why the hell would Misato have called for _her_, of all people, to prepare them for the battle against Seele?!

"Helloooo? Earth to Princess~!"

Asuka continued to ignore Mari, even as she began to wave her hand in front of her face.

"Aw, someone seems grumpy. I don't understand why, though. That Magikarp I gave you sounds like it has gotten pretty useful after evolving. So technically… _I_ saved your life!"

"Shut up."

"Now don't be like that! I just want to be friends, Princess," Mari smiled coyly, walking her fingers up Asuka's face. Unable to take it anymore, the redhead snapped and slapped them away.

"I don't care what you gave me! You're too annoying to be anyone's friend!"

Makinami laughed, slapping her hand on Asuka's shoulder. "I get it, I get it. You're just too shy to admit it."

"_I'm not-_

"So anyway, how's Puppy Boy? Sure is taking his good old time getting here."

Asuka was ready to blow a gasket. The last thing she wanted to speak to Mari about was _him._ Thankfully, Ayanami stepped in.

"Shinji is dealing with the thought of Asuka almost losing her life in battle. He will arrive shortly."

A cat-like grin spread across Mari's lips as she slowly looked back to an embarrassed Asuka. "I think he likes you~!"

"_Goddammit Rei!"_

A short distance away, Misato was watching the children bicker with amusement, secretly filming them on her phone. Kaji stood nearby, smoking a cigarette. "If I had known about Asuka and Mari's relationship before this, I would have called Mari back to us much sooner… Kaji? You listening?"

Looking at the water somberly, Kaji closed his eyes. "Sorry, I was just thinkin'. About Shinji…We should've left them behind, you know. Why didn't you talk me out of it?"

Surprised, Misato looked at him, then looked back to the children. "I almost did. But these kids… They've done so much for us, and I don't think I could've turned them away myself. They're so young, but Seele has affected them just as much as they have us. How could we stop anyone from wanting to do what's right?"

"It's Gendo's fault, you know."

Sitting down on the crate, Misato turned her eyes to the man. "I don't think he meant to expose Shinji to this kind of situation. I think… I think he wanted Shinji to know about what he has been doing, about how he's trying to make the world better for all of us."

Flicking his cigarette away, Kaji sat down beside Misato. "He could've thought of a much better way. But that's Gendo for you."

"Yeah. I guess you're right."

Misato found herself slowly leaning toward Kaji. As her shoulder touched his back, the man smiled and held her a cigarette.

"Want one?"

"You know I don't smoke anymore."

"Hey, it's the best I can offer. I don't carry alcohol on me. I might still have some in my quarters, if you want to drop by later."

"Only if you cleaned the place."

"It's a date, then."

Misato could see Shinji and Lucario had arrived, walking slowly to the others. She pushed herself up off of Kaji's back and went to address the children.

"Hey, Mari," The boy's eyes did their best not to meet with Asuka as he greeted Makinami, "I wouldn't have thought you were a part of NERV."

"It's kinda like a part time gig," Mari shrugged, "I get called in when my expertise is needed."

"Being annoying?" Asuka muttered, loud enough for her to hear. She had locked onto Shinji, agitated that he was ignoring her presence.

"That hurts, Princess. It really does."

"Okay, everyone!" Misato announced loudly, placing her hands on her hips, "It's time we get down to business. I know you've all probably gotten to meet our newcomer here, but I'd like to do a formal introduction. This is Mari Illustrious Makinami, NERV covert-ops agent and the current leader of the Keystone Training Project."

"Keystone?" the term rang a bell in Kensuke's mind, "Wait! Do you mean like the Mega Evolution Keystones?"

"Exactly," Misato nodded, "We believe that, for you all to be of any help in the battle with Seele, you and your Pokemon need to be at your most powerful state. And since you all have at least one Pokemon capable of reaching a Mega Evolved state, we called in Mari to help you all learn how to attain it."

"Badass!" Toji shouted, high fiving Kensuke, "There'll be no way them Seele punks'll beat us now!"

Asuka smirked, arching her neck back to look at Blaziken standing behind her. "We were the best before, but now we're _really_ going to be the strongest!"

'_**Damn straight.'**_

"Hey now, Princess," Mari's face suddenly hovered over Asuka's, the spectacled girl standing on her tiptoes, "Just because you have two Pokemon that can Mega Evolve doesn't automatically make you top-tier. Besides, I trained Rei for this not too long ago. She and Gardevoir have already mastered it; I just kinda lost the Mega Stone for Gardevoir then, and only just found it before getting here."

Rei blinked once, then gave Mari a questioning look. "You said you never had it."

"_On me._ Never had it _on me._ Remember the specifics, Rei." From beside Asuka, Mari noticed the cloud of indifference hovering around from Shinji. His expression hadn't changed in the slightest when Misato told them about the training they would be receiving. There was always one difficult one in the bunch, but Mari wasn't going to let him fail.

Misato gestured to the base with one hand. "Mari will be taking you all to the deepest part of HQ for this. We have a very large training arena down there, so don't feel like you have to hold back. Kaji will be down there as well, to help train your Pokemon who can't obtain Mega Evolution. We need you kids to really connect with whichever Pokemon you want to Mega Evolve down there, so unfortunately your other partners will have to be with us this time around."

"Don't worry!" Kaji waved from afar, "Scizor and I will take care of them."

"What if… What if we can't do it?" Biting his lip, Shinji couldn't help but say what he was thinking. Knowing what his trainer was going to say, Lucario prepared to stop him, but something held him back. Maybe, _maybe_ he had been thinking the same thing.

A hand landed on Shinji's shoulder. Mari sighed at him, shaking her head. "Let's just think happy thoughts right now, okay Puppy Boy? No need to be depressed unless we have to be. So… Anything else you want to add, Misato? I'm itching to get to this!"

"Whenever you're ready, Mari. The elevator is set to take you down there."

"Alright!" the spectacled girl grinned widely, throwing her arm over Shinji's shoulder and dragging him along, "Let's get to it, everybody!"

* * *

When Misato had said the training area at NERV HQ was large, she was not lying. As the elevator exited through the transparent tube leading the children down, they stared in awe at the large, almost natural construction below them. It was nearly a mile or so wide, and was probably the same area as the futuristic base above. A small mountain range surrounded one end, with a pool of crystal water on the other. In between them was a blend of grassy field, trees, and rocky terrain.

"How did you guys build this?" Asuka asked, unable to peel her eyes away.

"It was pretty difficult," Kaji responded, "Let's just say it cost a pretty penny. This was actually a recent addition to the base. Mari insisted we create something to keep everyone's Pokemon busy while we worked on our own things. Many of our operative's Pokemon are probably roaming down there right now."

"I've got a couple buddies down there myself," Mari added, suddenly gasping and waving at something, "Hey! There they are!"

From the trees, two brightly colored shapes flapped up towards the elevator, squawking at Makinami. They resembled lizards, with multi-colored feathers glued onto them.

"These are my Archeops," Mari said, blowing a kiss to one of the Rock-Flying types, "I just love these guys."

"You like fossil Pokemon a lot, dontcha?" Toji said, "You have that Aerodactyl and these two. Got any more down there?"

"…Just one." Mari's voice hit a strange pitch that put Shinji off. It was like she was ashamed of whatever it was down there… afraid, even. Before anyone could question her about it, the elevator reached its destination. The doors opening with a ding, Mari regained her carefree composure. "Well, here we are!"

The children and Kaji emptied out of the pod and onto the dusty terrain. Rei and Gardevoir stepped out to stand by Mari, who was unzipping her backpack. After some fiddling, she pulled a steel box from it, slamming it on the ground and unlatching it. The silver lid opened up and revealed a wide array of rainbow stones.

"These are the Mega Stones," she said, walking her fingers over the spheres until she found a pale green and red one. She lifted the stacked compartment to reveal even more stones and chrome accessories. "And these are what activate them. These green ones are the Keystones. They contain the power that links the spirit of the trainer with the Mega Stone held by their Pokemon. Instead of just carrying them in a pocket, its best to embed them in an accessory like one of these." Mari took off her glasses, and pointed out a small green sphere sitting right behind her right lens. "Keystones come in all sizes, but yield the same level of power. Big or small, they can still Mega Evolve your Pokemon."

Going back to the box, she scooped up a small silver choker in her hand. She grabbed a Keystone, popping it into its center link and handed it to Rei. She gave the Mega Stone to Gardevoir, her stone also in a choker.

"Now, just put those on and give us a small demonstration."

With the jewelry on, Rei and Gardevoir stood where everyone could see. They both closed their eyes, the girl breathing in and concentrating.

"Remember," Mari instructed softly, "Feel your Pokemon's soul, their spirit. Just relax. No tension, no stress… Then touch the stone."

The world around Rei vanished. She put aside the pain of losing Altaria, replacing it with the desire to be one with Gardevoir, to become strong together to avenge their friend. With one finger, she placed it over the stone around her neck.

Immediately, Gardevoir began to glow as a huge circle of energy surrounded her. The ground around her whipped up sand, a gust of wind blowing over the others. As a DNA spiral shape appeared within the mass, the conversion ended with a bang, sending the multi-colored rays away from Gardevoir. The Psychic-Fairy type looked quite different. Her flowing dress was now a sparkling ball gown, and the single red spike on her chest had opened up like a heart.

"And that's how it's done!" Mari clapped, "Good job, you two!"

Rei gave her Pokemon the biggest smile she could make, which was still quite tiny. "How does it feel?"

'**Excellent, my lady. This form truly is magnificent!'**

The others were just as amazed, and also applauded; even Asuka gave a slow clap for Rei's accomplishment. Shinji had grown more curious now about this whole thing, but was feeling some doubt. From what he could tell, this process required him to be at ease, with no worry or fear on his mind. That was something he was unsure he could get rid of so easily.

Blaziken was in awe of Gardevoir's new elegant form, and couldn't take his wide eyes away. **'So, uh…'** he stuttered, **'What can you, uh, do now?'**

Gardevoir giggled, looking at her trainer. **'Would a demonstration be of any harm?'**

"I see nothing wrong with one."

"Ooh! This will be good!" Mari squealed, rubbing her hands together, "I've been waiting forever to see this!"

Asuka raised an eyebrow. "See what, exactly?"

"When Gardevoir Mega-Evolves, she gains the ability of Pixilate. Normal-type moves gain the power of pure bliss, becoming Fairy-type moves and gaining extra power behind them. Show 'em, Rei!"

Nodding, Rei pointed to a nearby boulder. "Gardevoir, Hyper Voice."

Taking a deep breath, Gardevoir let loose a powerful, yet beautiful, soprano note. While the flawless sound was music to the ears of those around her, the targeted boulder began to crumble away at the sheer power of her voice. In mere seconds, the rock had turned into pebbles.

"Wow…" Shinji laughed nervously; seeing a boulder fall apart under the sheer power of something's voice was quite the sight, "That's some singing voice you have there, Gardevoir."

'**Why, thank you,'** The Pokemon curtsied as she reverted back to her base form.

"Now, it's you guys' turn," Mari said, pointing at the others, "Let me see what Pokemon I'll be working with here!" The children's Pokemon assembled, with Lucario and Blaziken waiting patiently as Toji and Kensuke released Beedrill and Venusaur from their Pokéballs. The four were joined by Gardevoir and Scizor, with Mari letting Aerodactyl out as well. Though they would not be able to Mega Evolve, Gogoat, Samurott, Gyarados, Rotom and the Archeops twins stood nearby, not wanting to feel left out. Going back to the silver box, Mari too it to each child, having them pick out the right Mega Stone for their Pokemon as well as an accessory and Keystone. "After we're all done here, Seele's gonna have to fight against seven Mega-Evolved Pokemon, plus these other tough-as-nails guys right here. Don't think they'll be a pushover, though. Remember what we're fighting for as we train everyone."

"Let's get it started den!" Toji said, cracking his knuckles, "Come on, Prof.! I wanna battle you first!"

"Uh-!" Startled, Shinji looked at Lucario, as if asking if they could sit on the sidelines for a bit. Mari noticed his apprehensiveness, and felt now was as good a time as ever to intervene.

"Hold up there, partner," she waved Toji off and approached Shinji, "I'm gonna work with Puppy Boy first."

Ikari was at the very least shocked Mari had chosen him. "Are… Are you sure?"

"Well why wouldn't I be? Now come on, let's go to my favorite training spot!"

Dragging Shinji, she pointed to Lucario to get on Aerodactyl's back. With a whistle, Aerodactyl flapped and pushed himself off the ground, carrying the three of them up and over the training grounds. Asuka watched them fly away, wishing that she could be joining them. Shinji should be training with her, not that spastic bimbo. She barely knew him; what made Mari better qualified than her to help him?

"Its not fair…" Asuka muttered as Blaziken approached her.

'**You good, Asuka?'**

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Blaziken thought about touching on Shinji for a moment, but figured it wasn't the best time right now. **'Ah, forget it. Gardevoir and Rei offered to show us the way they learned how to reach Mega Evolution, if you want to learn from them.'**

The red-head peered at Rei with narrowed eyes from behind Blaziken. "Why? Does she think we can't reach it on our own?"

'**Look, just go with it. I know how you are with Ayanami, but just let me train with Gardevoir. Don't **_**Poke-block**_** me here, if you get what I mean.'**

"What's that supposed to m – _Oh, that's disgusting!_ I didn't raise you to be a pervert!"

'**Just go with it! It'll be good for both of us. Promise.'**

"…Fine. Don't make any perverted moves on Gardevoir, then. Deal?"

'**Deal.'**

Asuka sighed, making her way over to Ayanami. "Let's just get this over with."

* * *

**_Next Stage:_**

_"Why Are You Here?"_

_Confessions Spilled From Both Sides!_


	34. Interlude: Breakdown

_***This scene was initially set to appear in the next chapter, but after much consideration I felt that it would break the flow of events within it. **_

_**I feel it is powerful enough to stand on its own, regardless of its length.**_

_**The next chapter will be on its way, so sit tight :)**_

* * *

Two guards were standing by Gaghiel's containment cell when Misato arrived for interrogation. Nodding at the men, they stepped aside and unlocked the door for her to go in. One offered her a weapon, but Misato patted her hip. She was never without her pistol or her Pokemon. This was not going to get out of hand.

"Hello, Lilith," the Angel said with a hint of venom tacked on, "I was hoping your boyfriend would come to talk to me. I'm not done with him yet."

"If you're talking about Kaji, then I'm sorry to say he's preoccupied right now. So you have to deal with me. This won't take long, I promise."

"I have nothing to say to you. To any of you." Gaghiel coughed, fidgeting in his seat as he scraped his handcuffs on the side of the steel chair. He had been subtly scraping at them for an hour, without the guards outside taking notice. "All that you know is what I know. I'm just a follower, not a leader."

Misato folded her arms, looking down on the prisoner. "I'm not here to talk about that. You said you had a family before, right?"

"They don't matter anymore. They're gone."

"You wouldn't be here right now if they didn't. Kaji told me what you said. About how you lost them and joined Team Aqua for revenge. You might not realize it, but you aren't alone. Thousands of people have lost things they have loved and fought the world to find peace."

"So what if I did? I doubt you'd understand." The Angel could feel his restraints loosening. Good. "Unless you're going to pull some bullshit about having lost everything, and that this is your atonement. I don't give a shit about you're empathy!"

Cocking her revolver, Misato held the barrel at Gaghiel's forehead. Gaghiel was stunned and frozen. Had she known he was trying to escape this whole time?!

Slowly, Misato bent down and sat in the chair across from the Angel, her piercing eyes not straying from him. The pitch-black void of the barrel was perfectly still, her hands not wavering in the slightest. "No matter if you were trying to break those cuffs or not, I was going to draw this on you regardless. Just so you know."

Gaghiel was sweating. This woman was cold, intimidating; this woman couldn't possibly have been the guardian of those children! "Take it easy, woman. I'm not trying anything."

"That's funny," Misato said, expressionless, "Those people in Hoatzin City were innocent too. But that didn't stop you're comrades from killing them."

"Ha! Ha-ha!" Laughing, the Angel shook his head in disappointment. "So that's what this is about! Revenge! You're a hypocrite, woman. Trying to defend the peace, when you're just as cold-blooded as us. No wonder your Commander had you infiltrate us!"

"…You may be right. We are similar." Misato reached her hand into her dress, pulling out a weathered necklace shaped like a thick cross. "I'm from the Kanto region. You know what happened there, right? Team Rocket caused lots of trouble there a long time ago. They hurt a lot of people, and a lot of Pokemon. They killed, too. They took my dad away from me when I was just a girl. He was just trying to protect a Marowak, and they beat him to death. They killed the Marowak afterwards for _no goddamn reason."_

Gaghiel lurched back as she pushed the barrel onto his skull.

"But I didn't go join some terrorist group like you did for revenge. I went and joined a group that fought against people like them. _People like you._ I want to rid the world of your kind. I'm not some psychopath who thinks killing the innocent will fix my own pain. You only spread heartbreak, while not even fixing your own. What would killing God accomplish for you? What about afterwards? Would you keep killing? Do you think your _family_ would have wanted you to be like this?!"

The creaking of Misato pushing down on the table filled the void. She leaned over at Gaghiel, breaking through his defenses as he sat there paralyzed. What had he been doing for all these years? Who had he been working for?! Why didn't they ever tell him anything?!

Then he saw the truth.

He was a pawn. They cared not about his past, nor about his pain. He had been alone this whole time. He wasn't Gaghiel; he had never been Gaghiel.

He had been Morgan Laroche, wearing a stupid mask to hide his suffering.

"Pull it," the man said, looking down at the floor, "Pull the trigger."

Misato didn't respond.

"You're right, woman… You're right about everything! I don't want to suffer anymore! So just end it for me! It's what you want, right?"

Sighing, Misato stood straight, holstering her weapon. She walked back to the door, as a frantic Morgan watched desperately. "I'm glad you've realized that. But I didn't come here to kill you. That wouldn't solve anything. I just wanted to see if there was any humanity left in you. After we defeat Seele, you and the rest of your cohorts are going to rot in prison. You will pay for what you have done, Morgan, for the rest of your life."

The door shut on Morgan, leaving him trapped. Alone.

"No…_ No!"_ Flipping the table with his knees, Morgan fell back in his chair, screaming and thrashing. _"Kill me! Come back! PLEASE!"_

The guards took no notice of the broken, sobbing prisoner behind the window. No one could hear his cries from outside the soundproof walls.


End file.
